In a major setback for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court’s registry on Wednesday declined to urgently list his plea seeking a seven-day extension of his interim bail on health grounds.
This decision follows a vacation bench’s earlier refusal to allow an urgent hearing, suggesting instead that the Chief Justice of India should decide on the matter.
Kejriwal, who is currently out on bail in connection with a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy, faces the expiry of his interim bail on June 1. He has filed a petition seeking a one-week extension due to medical reasons.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has reported that Kejriwal has lost 7 kg since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, and his Ketone levels have risen, indicating a potential serious health issue.
According to the AAP, doctors have advised Kejriwal to undergo a PET-CT scan and other medical examinations, necessitating an extension of his interim bail.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, stated in the plea that the extension is required for the prescribed medical tests to be conducted.
Kejriwal, who also serves as the national convenor of the AAP, was released from judicial custody on an interim basis in light of the Lok Sabha elections. According to the interim order dated May 10, he is required to surrender on June 2.
