Arvind Kejriwal’s Judicial Custody Extended Till May 20 in Money Laundering Case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody has been extended until May 20 by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who also extended the custody of co-accused Chanpreet Singh. The decision was made during a hearing conducted via video conference due to the ongoing pandemic.

The extension coincided with a Supreme Court hearing on Kejriwal’s challenge to his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor policy case. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta hinted at considering interim bail for Kejriwal, given the extraordinary circumstances of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, objected to the Supreme Court considering interim bail for Kejriwal, emphasizing that the chief minister should not be treated differently from a common citizen. The court, however, expressed that any interim relief might require Kejriwal to abstain from official duties to avoid conflicts.

The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with corruption allegations related to Delhi’s liquor policy, which his party has refuted. Currently held in Tihar jail, Kejriwal faces judicial custody amidst ongoing legal proceedings.