The Supreme Court on Thursday resumed hearing the bail petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in CBI case in the alleged Delhi Liquor Policy scam. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for CM Kejriwal told the top court today that the Delhi High Court did not pass an order on his bail petition despite hearing the case at length.
Singhvi told the apex court that 1st July onwards, the High Court began hearing the case. There were two writ petitions by Kejriwal. One against the legality of CBI arrest, another for bail. On 17th July, the high court reserved judgment on arrest, but bail is re-notified later.
“No order was pronounced on bail despite the high court judge hearing the bail on merits. After a month, the high court judge said, I decide not to decide bail and asked me to go back to trial court for bail. There are 13 judgments by Supreme Court that deprecates delay in bail and sending you back. What was the point of sending me back?” Singhvi appearing for Kejriwal questioned the high court order.
However ASG SV Raju appearing for CBI, told the top court that high court examined the question of concurrent jurisdiction.
Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyers present in the court told the Supreme Court that they were heard for a full day by the high court, but no order was pronounced and they were asked to go back to trial court which has caused huge delay to the case.
Singhvi told the Supreme Court that the top court had itself in Para 32 of Manish Sisodia had termed this practice as “snakes and ladder.”