Supreme Court’s observations while granting bail to Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday strongly questioned the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the excise policy case, saying the investigating agency must prove that she is now a “parrot on the loose”.

“The CBI has to dispel the notion that this is a caged parrot and has to prove that it is a cageless parrot,” Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said. He added that the CBI could not justify Kejriwal’s arrest and further detention, pointing to evasive answers from the CM. “It would be a judicial travesty to keep Kejriwal in custody when he was granted bail in the ED case on the same grounds,” the court said.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan granted legal aid to Kejriwal in the corruption case related to the excise scam on a bail of Rs 10 lakh and two sureties. The Supreme Court, however, directed the AAP leader not to make any public comments on the merits of the case.

Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decisions, Kejriwal’s wife Sunitha said, “Congratulations to the AAP family. I also wish for the early release of our other politicians.”

Kejriwal was first taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March, a few weeks before the general elections, over alleged irregularities in the capital’s liquor policy. Though he was released on bail in July, he remained in custody as he had been arrested by the Delhi Police a month earlier in a corruption case related to the same policy.

Kejriwal, 55, and the AAP denied the allegations and said the cases were “politically motivated”. Justice Surya Kant ordered Kejriwal’s release, saying the issue of “freedom” and “prolonged detention” was unjustifiable.
(With PTI inputs)