Supreme court defers Arvind Kejriwal's bail hearing till September 5

The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The case has now been scheduled for its next hearing on September 5.

The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, granted time for the CBI to file a counter-affidavit in response to one of Kejriwal's petitions. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju informed the court that while the CBI had already submitted a counter-affidavit for one of Kejriwal's petitions, they required more time to file a response to the second petition.

The central agency told the Supreme Court that Manish Sisodia acted with the approval of Delhi's Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal has now filed a petition with the Supreme Court, challenging a Delhi High Court decision from August 5. This decision had dismissed his plea against being arrested by the CBI and told him to go to the trial court for bail instead.

The Supreme Court gave Arvind Kejriwal temporary bail in the money laundering case and sent his petition about the ED arrest to a bigger panel for review. However, he stayed in custody because he was still being held by the CBI.