New Delhi, April 13: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case is set to be heard by the Supreme Court on April 15 (Monday).
A division bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will be presiding over the hearing.
Kejriwal approached the apex court following the dismissal of his petition by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, challenging both his arrest and the trial court's decision to remand him to the custody of the federal anti-money laundering agency.
During the proceedings, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma took cognizance of the ED's submission, asserting that the agency possessed sufficient evidence, including statements from approvers and allegations regarding Kejriwal's involvement in formulating the excise policy, to warrant his arrest.
In a subsequent development on Wednesday, the accused sought an urgent hearing on his plea contesting the high court's ruling, before the apex court.
However, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, presiding over the bench, instructed senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing CM Kejriwal, to submit the request via email.
The high court, in its earlier statement, emphasized that the ED adhered to legal protocols, with the trial court's order being supported by substantial evidence, including statements from hawala dealers and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates in the Goa elections.
Previously, shortly after his arrest by the ED on March 21, CM Kejriwal had urgently petitioned the Supreme Court for a late-night hearing. However, the following day, he withdrew the plea before a special bench could commence proceedings, opting instead to challenge the remand proceedings before the trial court.
