No objection if Arvind Kejriwal's passport renewed for 10 years: Delhi court

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday said it had "no objection" if the passport of former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, an accused in the Delhi excise policy cases, was renewed for 10 years.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh passed the order in the alleged scam-related corruption and money laundering cases, being probed by the CBI and the ED respectively, considering that Kejriwal would have to take formal permission of the court before travelling abroad.

"Presently, the applicant is not seeking any permission to travel abroad, obviously as he may not be planning to travel abroad in the immediate near future, but that too cannot come in the way of granting permission to the applicant for renewal of the passport for complete 10 years. After all the bail conditions already prescribes that the applicant shall not travel abroad without formal permission of court," the order said.

The judge added, "The applications preferred by Arvind Kejriwal for renewal of his passport is allowed and this court has 'no objection' if the passport ... of the applicant, namely, Arvind Kejriwal is renewed for 10 years as per rules." Both the CBI and the ED opposed Kejriwal's plea.

While the ED said the renewal of passport should be not granted for a full 10 years, the CBI said the norms followed in different courts of CBI relating to such matters was that the renewal permission was granted for five years.

The judge, however, clarified that the order should not in any manner fetter the discretion of the passport authorities in its grant or refusal of the renewal under the Indian Passports Act and the relevant rules.

Kejriwal's counsel argued that his passport expired in 2018 and he has moved the application seeking its renewal for 10 years.

The money laundering case stems from the CBI's FIR which was lodged after Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena recommended a probe into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the policy.

According to the CBI and the ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to the licence holders.

The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021, and scrapped it by the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.