Supreme Court Defers Decision on Arvind Kejriwal’s Interim Bail Extension Request

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's request for an extension of his interim bail, stating that the matter would be placed before Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has sought a seven-day extension to his interim bail, which is set to expire on June 1, due to medical reasons.

On May 10, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with the liquor policy case, allowing him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The vacation bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and KV Vishwanathan refused an urgent request by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, to extend the interim bail for medical tests.

Singhvi urged the bench to list the bail extension plea for a hearing on Wednesday, emphasizing the urgency and significance of the Chief Minister's situation. However, the bench insisted that the matter be placed before the Chief Justice for a decision.

Singhvi explained that the extension plea was filed following medical tests conducted on Kejriwal, revealing significant health concerns. The Chief Minister’s plea highlighted unexplained weight loss as a symptom of potentially life-threatening conditions, partially attributed to the alleged negligence of jail authorities. Kejriwal emphasized that despite his health issues, he had only managed a home check-up by a senior physician from Max Hospitals due to his campaign commitments.

The plea further detailed that the senior doctor had prescribed a series of necessary medical tests before Kejriwal could return to incarceration. Kejriwal argued that he had utilized his interim bail solely for campaign activities, which involved extensive travel, leaving little time for comprehensive medical evaluations.

Previously, the Supreme Court had directed Kejriwal to surrender on June 2, dismissing any significant impact of a 21-day delay in his arrest. The interim bail conditions prohibit Kejriwal from visiting the Delhi Chief Minister's office or the Delhi Secretariat, and from commenting on the case or interacting with witnesses.

The court’s final decision on the extension of Kejriwal’s interim bail now awaits the Chief Justice’s review.