Today, On 23rd, August, The CBI informed the court that it obtained the necessary sanction to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal. This development marks a significant step forward in the legal proceedings against the Delhi Chief Minister. The CBI’s statement indicates that the case is progressing, with formal approval now in place to move ahead with prosecution.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) On Friday, informed a Delhi court that it secured the necessary approvals to prosecute Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak in connection with an alleged corruption case tied to the excise policy scam.
The CBI’s statement made before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who subsequently scheduled the next hearing for August 27.
This development comes as Kejriwal’s judicial custody in the case set to expire on August 27.
Earlier, on August 12, the court granted the CBI a 15-day window to obtain the required sanctions for prosecuting both Kejriwal and Pathak. The agency already received the necessary permissions to investigate the two leaders in relation to the case. Now, with the prosecutorial sanctions in hand, the case will proceed to the next stage of legal scrutiny.
As the case progresses, it is expected to attract widespread media attention and could have broader implications for the Aam Aadmi Party, especially with both state and national elections on the horizon. The outcome of this case could influence public perception of the party and its leadership, potentially impacting their political fortunes in the coming months.
The August 27 hearing will be closely watched as it will set the stage for the subsequent legal battle, and the decisions made in court will likely shape the narrative around this high-stakes corruption case.
The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan permitted the CBI to submit its counter affidavit in the case, granting Arvind Kejriwal two days to file a rejoinder.
Kejriwal’s legal representative, Abhishek Singhvi, noted that the CBI had submitted a counter affidavit for only one of the petitions, which was served to them at 8 p.m. on Thursday. In response, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju assured that the counter affidavit for the other petition would be filed within a week.
The Supreme Court scheduled the next hearing for September 5.
Kejriwal filed two separate petitions, challenging both the denial of bail and his arrest by the CBI in this case.
Read Also: [BREAKING] Arvind Kejriwal Granted Bail by Delhi Court
On August 14, the Supreme Court declined to grant interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy case and requested a response from the CBI regarding his challenge to the arrest.
Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was taken into custody by the CBI on June 26.
Earlier, on August 5, the Delhi High Court had ruled that Kejriwal’s arrest was lawful, stating that there was no evidence of malice in the CBI’s actions. The court acknowledged that the agency had effectively demonstrated how Kejriwal, as the AAP leader, could potentially influence witnesses, some of whom were willing to testify only after his arrest.