Delhi Excise Policy Case: High court seeks Kejriwal, Sisodia response to CBI plea against discharge

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others on a petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging their discharge in the Delhi Excise Policy Case by a trial court.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma listed the matter for hearing on March 16.

The High Court also said it would pass an order directing the trial court to defer proceedings in the connected money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.


During the hearing, Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, urged the court to stay the operation of what he described as “prejudicial” remarks made by the trial court against CBI officials while discharging the accused.

Mehta also requested the High Court to fix a timeline to decide the CBI’s plea.

He argued that the trial court’s order discharging Kejriwal, Sisodia and others in the excise policy case was perverse and "turned the criminal law on its head".

Calling the excise policy case one of the biggest scams, Mehta alleged it was a clear case of corruption.

Asserting that the trial court had effectively acquitted the accused without a trial, Mehta said the investigating agency had gathered detailed evidence pointing to a conspiracy and alleged bribery linked to a manipulated liquor policy.

According to him, there was sufficient material against Kejriwal, Sisodia and other accused to frame charges, adding that the CBI’s case was backed by approvers and witness statements.

On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others, sharply criticising the CBI and observing that its case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and "stood discredited in its entirety."

Among those given a clean chit in the case was K. Kavitha.

The CBI has been investigating alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi.

(with inputs from ANI and PTI)