Delhi HC seeks Tihar reply to Kejriwal's plea for additional meetings with lawyers
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court asked Tihar Jail authorities on Monday to respond to a plea of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in Delhi excise scam cases, seeking additional virtual meetings with his lawyers.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna granted the prison authorities five days to file a reply and listed the matter for argument on July 15.
Kejriwal has challenged a trial court's July 1 order rejecting his application for directions to the prison authorities to grant him two additional meetings in a week with his lawyers through video conference.
At present, the jailed Aam Aadmi Party national convener is allowed two meetings with his lawyers per week.
Kejriwal's lawyer contended that the AAP leader was facing around 35 litigations across the country and on grounds of the right to a fair trial, he required two additional meetings with his lawyers via video conference to discuss the cases.
The counsel for the Enforcement Directorate also said that he wanted to file a reply to the plea.
On being asked by the court what was the objection to the plea, the lawyer representing the jail authorities submitted that the rule is the same for all and a prisoner is entitled to two meetings with his or her advocate in a week.
He added all the 35 cases were not being heard simultaneously in a week and so, there was no need for additional meetings.
The trial court rejected the plea, saying the counsel for the applicant had failed to convince the court on how the applicant was entitled to two additional legal meetings through video conference on the same grounds which have been discussed and dealt with in an earlier order.
In separate petitions, Kejriwal has challenged his arrest in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged excise policy scam and also sought bail.
Both the petitions are pending before the high court.
The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he is still lodged in judicial custody in a connected money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was granted bail by the trial court in the money laundering case on June 20. However, the trial court's order was stayed by the high court.
The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.
According to the CBI and ED, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours extended to licence holders.
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Rupee falls 32 paise to all-time low of 95.20 against US dollar
Mumbai, Apr 30 (PTI): The rupee depreciated 32 paise to an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, weighed down by elevated Brent crude oil prices, hovering around USD 122 per barrel, and strong American currency.
Forex traders said the USD/INR pair may see further downside, as rising crude oil prices are likely to sharply impact India's import costs, while concerns over potential wider conflict in West Asia are fuelling investor anxiety.
Meanwhile, the US dollar added to gains after the US FED Reserve kept rates unchanged. Safe-haven demand was also boosted by another diplomatic setback between Washington and Tehran.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.01 against the US dollar, then lost some ground and touched an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in initial trade, registering a fall of 32 paise over its previous close.
On Wednesday, the rupee depreciated 20 paise to close at an all-time low of 94.88 against the US dollar.
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"The main effect on the rupee has been from the rising oil prices, which touched USD 120 per barrel and looked headed for further upside as the US continues with its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran does not allow any ship/tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.01 per cent higher at 98.96.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 3.16 per cent at USD 121.76 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex tumbled 821.79 points to 76,674.57 in early trade, while the Nifty dived 287.3 points to 23,890.35.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,468.42 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue with their sale of Indian Equities and debt (the yield touched 7 per cent on Wednesday) and are also dollar buyers consistently," Bhansali added.
