High Court reserves order on Kejriwal’s pleas seeking interim bail, challenging arrest by CBI

Delhi High Court reserves order on Arvind Kejriwal's arrest challenge by CBI in excise policy case.

The Delhi High Court reserved on July 17 its order on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's pleas challenging his arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case and seeking interim bail.

Mr. Kejriwal'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.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, who conducted the proceedings on a holiday on account of Muharram, heard the arguments advanced by the lawyers of Mr. Kejriwal and the CBI and reserved its order on the petitions.

The high court has listed his regular bail plea for further arguments on July 29.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, termed his arrest by the CBI an "insurance arrest" to stop him from walking out of jail.

"It is unfortunately an insurance arrest. I have effectively three release orders in my favour (in the 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," he contended.

Asserting that Mr. Kejriwal was "not a terrorist" but the Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr. Singhvi said his arrest was not as per the mandate of the law and being the Chief Minister, he was entitled to bail.