Delhi court seeks ED reply on bail plea moved by CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday moved a court seeking regular bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.

A Delhi court on Thursday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on the bail plea moved by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.(Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja directed the central probe agency to file its response to Kejriwal's plea by Saturday.

The judge also sought the ED's response on another plea of Kejriwal seeking interim bail for a week on medical grounds in case the regular bail plea is not allowed.

Kejriwal has sought one-week interim bail on medical grounds.

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Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, alleged “several suppressions” in the bail plea and sought a minimum of two days time to file a reply as he wanted to “bring everything on record”.

Raju submitted that Kejriwal's health did not hinder him from campaigning in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and the AAP supremo moved the bail plea on the last date so that “we get very little time.”

“His conduct doesn't entitle him for any orders today,” the ASG said.

Kejriwal is currently on interim bail, granted by the Supreme Court, till June 1.

The court will hear the arguments on the interim bail application on June 1 and the arguments on the regular bail application on June 7.

The Supreme Court registry on Wednesday refused urgent listing of Kejriwal's plea seeking extension of his interim bail by seven days for undergoing certain medical tests. The apex court registry refused to accept the application, saying since Kejriwal was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail, the plea is not maintainable.

Kejriwal has sought extension of his interim bail by seven days to undergo a host of medical tests, including a PET-CT scan, in view of his "sudden and unexplained weight loss coupled with high ketone levels", which are indicative of kidney, serious cardiac ailments and even cancer.

With Bureau inputs