Excise 'scam': Arrest by CBI 'insurance arrest', Kejriwal tells HC

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that his arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam was an "insurance arrest".

In a hearing being held by the high court on a court holiday, Kerjiwal's senior counsel not only assailed his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) but also sought his release on bail in the case.

"It is unfortunately an insurance arrest. I have effectively three release orders in my favour (in ED case) under very stringent provisions... These orders show that the man is entitled to be released. He would have been released but for this insurance arrest," argued senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, before Justice Neena Bansal Krishna.

Asserting that Kejriwal was "not a terrorist", Singhvi said the arrest was not as per the mandate of the law and the chief minister was entitled to bail.

Advocate DP Singh, on behalf of the CBI, opposed the two pleas by Kejriwal -- one challenging his arrest and the other seeking bail, and said calling his arrest an "insurance arrest" was "unjustified".

Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he is still lodged in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The chief minister, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court's order was stayed by the high court.

On July 12, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving the formulation and execution of the policy.

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