SC registry refuses to list Kejriwal’s bail-extension plea
Registry says since Kejriwal was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail, the plea for extension of interim bail was not maintainable
The Supreme Court registry has refused to list for hearing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking an extension of his interim bail by seven days.
The registry on Wednesday (May 29) refused to accept the application, saying that since Kejriwal was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail, the plea is not maintainable. The AAP chief had sought the extension for undergoing certain medical tests.
What vacation Bench said
On Tuesday, a vacation Bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and KV Viswanathan took note of the submissions of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the chief minister, and said the decision on the listing of the interim plea can be taken by the CJI as the judgement has been reserved in the main matter.
Kejriwal had sought an 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 can be indicative of kidney damage, serious cardiac ailments, and even cancer.
Kejriwal’s plea
The chief minister, in his fresh plea filed on May 26, sought permission to surrender before jail authorities on June 9 instead of June 2, the scheduled date for his return to prison.
The top court had on May 10 granted 21-day interim bail to the chief minister, who was arrested in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, to enable him to campaign for the Lok Sabha polls.
It had directed that Kejriwal shall surrender on June 2, a day after the last phase of the seven-phase poll gets over.
(With agency inputs)