Supreme Court rejects urgent hearing for Delhi CM Kejriwal's interim bail extension plea

The Supreme Court, on May 29, declined an urgent hearing for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea seeking a 7-day extension of his interim bail. 

Consequently, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader will return to Tihar Jail on June 2.

The SC registry rejected the application, stating that since the Chief Minister was already given the liberty to approach the trial court for regular bail, the plea was not maintainable. 

Kejriwal had secured interim bail from Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta on May 10, with instructions to surrender to Tihar jail by June 2. 

The bench had previously reserved its verdict on Kejriwal's challenge to the validity of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case linked to a liquor scam.

The Supreme Court emphasized that the pending verdict on the challenge to Kejriwal's arrest rendered his plea for an extension of interim bail irrelevant to the main petition. 

Despite this, AAP moved the petition, highlighting Kejriwal's deteriorating health. The Chief Minister reportedly lost 7 kg after his arrest, and his ketone levels were alarmingly high. 

Max Hospital doctors examined him, suspecting symptoms of a serious disease. Kejriwal sought 7 days to undergo a PET-CT scan and other necessary tests.

Earlier, on May 10, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta had granted Kejriwal interim bail until June 1, allowing him to campaign during the Lok Sabha elections. 

However, due to his arrest by the ED in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case, Kejriwal is now required to surrender on June 2.