Arvind Kejriwal to surrender today as interim bail order reserved

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, June 1

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will have to surrender on Sunday as he could not get any immediate relief from a Delhi court which on Saturday reserved its order on his interim bail plea. The court will pronounce its order on June 5.

Arrested on March 21 by the ED, the AAP national convener was released on a 21-day interim bail till June 1 by the Supreme Court on May 10 to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha poll. He was ordered to surrender on June 2.

The Supreme Court Registry had on Wednesday refused to list for hearing Kejriwal’s plea for extension of his interim bail by seven days on medical grounds, saying it was “not maintainable” as he was given liberty by the top court to move the trial court for regular bail. It had also pointed out that the top court had already reserved its judgment on his petition challenging his arrest by the ED.

As Special Judge Kaveri Baweja said she would pronounce the order on June 5, senior advocate N Hariharan, representing Kejriwal, urged her to pronounce the order at least by Sunday else “it will become infructuous and Kejriwal will have to surrender”.

The judge, however, said she would pronounce the order on June 5 as Kejriwal’s plea was for grant of interim bail on medical grounds and not for an extension of the interim bail granted by the Supreme Court.

Kejriwal has also filed a separate plea for regular bail which will be heard on June 7.

Opposing the interim bail plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju questioned the claims about his medical condition as he had been busy campaigning in the elections.

The ED said he could have undergone medical tests immediately after he came out of the Tihar Jail. The senior law officers also accused Kejriwal of suppressing material facts from the court and making false statements, including those about his health.

“A person who claims on TV that he may die… didn’t go for a basic test since May 25… The entire system can’t be taken for a ride. It’s a game being played by the litigant with the system,” the ED counsel submitted.

“The SC order says he will surrender. That order has not been modified till date. He has to surrender. He is not on interim bail because of this court’s order. He is on interim bail because of the apex court’s order. He is asking for extension of the SC order, which is not permissible,” Mehta said.