Arvind Kejriwal moves Supreme Court for extension of his interim bail by a week on medical grounds

Tribune News Service

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, May 27

Citing high ketone and blood glucose levels, sudden unexplained 6-7 kg weight loss and possible life threatening conditions, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of his 21-day interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to the excise policy “scam” by seven more days.

Arrested on March 21 by the ED, the Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor was released on a 21-day interim bail by the top court on May 10 to campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. He was ordered to surrender on June 2.

A Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta had barred him from visiting the Chief Minister’s Office and Delhi Secretariat and said that he shall not sign official files unless it’s required and necessary for obtaining clearance/approval of the Delhi LG. It had also restrained from commenting on his role in the money-laundering case against him and ordered him not to interact with witnesses and/or have access to official files connected with the case.

However, six days before the expiry of his interim bail on June 1, the AAP National Convenor urged the top court to extend his interim bail by seven days on the ground that he had to undergo certain diagnostic tests/investigations, including PET-CT Scan.

His petition was soon likely to be mentioned for urgent hearing.

The petition has been filed after a detailed clinical examination of the Chief Minister by a senior physician from Max Hospital at his home on May 25, 2024, as he has been asked to undergo a host of test, including—but not limited to—whole body PET-CT to rule out any malignancies, sources said.

Kejriwal has also been asked to undergo Holter Monitor Test, where he will be required to wear a holter monitor for a few days while going about his daily activities to identify any irregularities in his heart functioning, they said, adding, “These tests are to be done in a particular sequence and require about 5-7 days in all to complete.”

Kejriwal allegedly suffered a lot of health-related complications partly attributable to the negligent and callous behaviour of the jail authorities during March 21 and May 10 when he was lodged in Tihar Jail here.

“Sudden and unexplained weight loss, coupled with high ketone levels could be indicative of kidney damage, serious cardiac ailments and even cancer. Early detection of these ailments is essential for preventing further progress of the disease and associated life risk,” the sources said, adding if his interim bail was extended he would surrender on June 9.

The Supreme Court had on May 17 reserved its verdict on Kejriwal’s petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy scam. Kejriwal has challenged the Delhi High Court’s April 9 verdict upholding his arrest in the case.

The top court had, however, said “without prejudice to his rights and contentions”, Kejriwal was free to move the trial court for grant of bail “in accordance with law.”

The ED alleged that Kejriwal was the kingpin and the key conspirator of the excise scam who demanded Rs 100 crore as AAP National Convenor from co-accused. The Delhi High Court had on April 9 upheld his arrest as he was the National Convenor of AAP which allegedly used proceeds of the crime in the 2022 Goa Assembly polls.

On April 2, the top court had granted bail to senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who was arrested by the ED on October 4, 2023, in an excise policy scam-linked money laundering case after the ED said it had no objection to his release on bail. However, it had clarified that the concession given to Singh will not be treated as a precedent.

Two other senior AAP leaders — former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain —continue to be in jail in separate money-laundering cases.

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