New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday declined immediate relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on his plea against the Delhi High Court's interim stay on the trial court's order granting him bail in a money laundering case in connection with an alleged excise scam.
A bench comprising justices Manoj Mishra and S V N Bhatti adjourned the hearing on Kejriwal’s petition and scheduled it for further hearing on Wednesday.
The bench said that normally, in stay applications, orders are not reserved and they are passed at the hearing itself. “Bit unusual but we will have it the day after tomorrow….”, said the bench. “Order impugned in this special leave petition is an order by which after hearing the counsel of the parties, order was reserved on the stay application….persual of the impugned would reveal parties’ were given opportunity to file short submissions...”, noted the bench.
Additional solicitor general S V Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate, submitted that the order on the stay application will be passed shortly by the high court and therefore, it would be appropriate that the apex court adjourns the proceedings. After hearing submissions, the bench, in its order, said: “We deem it appropriate that the case be listed day after....and if the high court passes an order meanwhile let that be brought on record”.
During the hearing, senior advocate A M Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, vehemently argued that staying bail on the very first day of the hearing is unprecedented. He submitted that bail granted and bail reversal is different and, regarding the high court order, added that the procedure of staying bail on the first day is unprecedented. “Balance of convenience is in my favour. If the plea is rejected then he goes back to jail and goes back to the situation as it was three weeks ago when he surrendered under Supreme Court order”, submitted Singhvi.