Excise 'scam': No urgent listing of Arvind Kejriwal’s plea for 7-day extension of interim bail on medical grounds

Satya Prakash

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New Delhi, May 28

Refusing to urgently list Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking one-week extension of his interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to the excise scam on medical grounds, the Supreme Court on Tuesday referred it to CJI DY Chandrachud to take a call.

Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned Kejriwal’s plea before a Vacation Bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice KV Viswanathan for urgent listing, saying the Chief Minister has been advised certain medical tests that would take a week.

However, pointing out that a Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta has already reserved its verdict on Kejriwal’s petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the case, Justice Maheshwari said he would refer it to the Chief Justice of India for passing an appropriate order.

In his capacity as the ‘Master of Roster’, it’s the CJI who decides on the composition of Benches to hear cases.

Justice Viswanathan asked Singhvi why he didn’t approach the top court when Justice Datta was heading a Vacation Bench last week.

“Why didn’t you mention it when Justice Datta was sitting on the Vacation Bench last week? Let the Hon’ble CJI take a decision as it raises the issue of propriety…we will send it to the CJI,” the Bench said.

Citing high ketone and blood glucose levels, sudden unexplained 6-7-kg weight loss and possible life threatening conditions, Kejriwal had on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of his 21-day interim bail in the money-laundering case by seven more days.

Arrested on March 21 by the ED – the AAP national convener 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.