No relief for Arvind Kejriwal: Delhi High Court issues notice to CBI on plea against arrest; matter to be heard on July 17

Issuing the notice, the HC gave the CBI time to file its reply within seven days, and a rejoinder, if any, within two days thereafter. The next hearing in the matter will be held on July 17.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the CBI on a plea by Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the central agency in the liquor policy 'scam' case.

A bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna sought a response from the agency and posted the matter for consideration on July 17.

The court also sought to know if any bail application filed in the case.

Senior advocate Abhishek M Singhvi, appearing for the petitioner, contended the arrest was not necessary as he was already under the judicial custody. He also claimed the arrest on June 26 was made without disclosing sufficient reasons.

He submitted that the CBI's FIR was of August 2022, but the petitioner was summoned in April 2023 and questioned for 9 hours.

Since April 2023, nothing has been done and he was arrested on the FIR registered in 2022, the counsel pointed out.

Kejriwal challenged his arrest by the CBI and the trial court's June 26 order in which he was remanded to three-day custodial interrogation in the liquor policy scam case.

He was also aggrieved with the observation that his arrest was not illegal. Kejriwal's plea claimed his arrest was made without compliance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, including Sections 60 A and the Supreme Court's judgment in Arnesh Kumar case.

After being arrested by the CBI, and three days custodial interrogation, he was on June 29 remanded to judicial custody till July 12. He was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in a money laundering case lodged on August 22, 2022 in connection with the scam.

He was already in judicial custody in the ED case when the CBI arrested him.