Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court on Monday, against his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the liquor policy case, Live Law reported.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader’s petition challenged the Delhi High Court order on August 5 that rejected his plea against the arrest by the central agency.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, mentioned the matter before Chief Justice DY Chandrachud for urgent listing. Chandrachud agreed to examine the request and assign a date for hearing the petition, Live Law reported.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is looking into allegations of corruption against Kejriwal in the case. The Enforcement Directorate is also investigating money-laundering allegations linked to the matter.

On July 12, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the case filed against him by the Enforcement Directorate. However, Kejriwal remained in jail as he had been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the same case on June 25.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21. The Enforcement Directorate’s case is based on a first information report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The two central agencies have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government modified Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy by increasing the commission for wholesalers from 5% to 12%. This allegedly facilitated the receipt of bribes from wholesalers with substantial market share and turnover.

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case. He had been in jail for nearly 17 months.

Sisodia, the former Delhi deputy chief minister, was released from jail hours on Friday evening.

He was arrested in February 2023 by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The Enforcement Directorate arrested him in the same case in March 2023.

While granting bail to Sisodia, the court observed that Sisodia had been deprived of the right to a speedy trial.

CBI, ED issued notice on K Kavitha’s bail plea

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate on the petitions filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha seeking bail in cases relating to alleged corruption in implementing the liquor policy, Bar and Bench reported.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Kavitha, contended that the Telangana MLC had been in jail for the past five months and was entitled to bail, Bar and Bench reported.

Rohatgi also argued that her case was similar to that of Kejriwal who was given interim bail and Sisodia, who has been granted regular bail, by the Supreme Court.

Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in Hyderabad on March 15. She was later remanded to judicial custody, after which the Central Bureau of Investigation also arrested her on April 11.

The central agencies have alleged that Kavitha was part of a so-called South Group that paid Rs 100 crore to Aam Aadmi Party leaders in exchange for favours related to the liquor policy through businessman Vijay Nair.

Also read: How the Supreme Court hemmed in ED’s power to arrest through the Kejriwal bail order