Delhi HC Issues Fresh Notice to Kejriwal, Sisodia in Excise Policy Case

NEW DELHI:
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued fresh notices to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, ex-Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and party leader Durgesh Pathak in a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging their discharge in the alleged excise policy corruption case.

During the hearing, a single-judge Bench of Justice Manoj Jain observed that several respondents had failed to appear or file their responses despite repeated listings.

Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that all respondents had been served and had been granted multiple opportunities to file their replies.

Urging the Delhi High Court to hear the matter expeditiously, the Centre’s second-highest law officer contended that the trial court’s discharge order “cannot stand scrutiny of law” and that the case involves serious allegations.

Taking note of the absence of some respondents despite repeated listings, Justice Jain directed the issuance of fresh notices to ensure the participation of all parties in the proceedings.

The Delhi High Court further directed SG Mehta to ensure that Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak are informed of the transfer of the CBI’s revision petition to Justice Jain’s Bench.

The matter has now been listed for further hearing on May 25 at 2:30 p.m.

The case came up before Justice Jain following its reassignment from Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who had earlier been hearing the CBI’s revision petition.

The transfer took place after Justice Sharma initiated contempt proceedings over the alleged circulation of “vilifying and defamatory” material against the judiciary in connection with the excise policy case.

Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak had earlier abstained from participating in the proceedings before Justice Sharma after their recusal plea was rejected.

Earlier, the trial court, in a judgment running into over 1,100 paragraphs, had discharged all accused persons, holding that the now-scrapped excise policy was the result of a consultative process and that the prosecution failed to establish any overarching conspiracy.

In its revision plea before the Delhi High Court, the CBI has alleged that the policy was manipulated to favour select liquor traders in exchange for kickbacks.

Earlier in the day, a Division Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja on Tuesday issued notices to Kejriwal, Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, other AAP leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj and Vinay Mishra, in criminal contempt proceedings initiated over alleged attempts to scandalise the judiciary in connection with the excise policy case.

The Justice Chawla-led Bench granted four weeks to the alleged contemnors to file their replies and listed the matter for further hearing on August 4.

Even though no counsel appeared on behalf of the alleged contemnors during the hearing, the Delhi High Court indicated that it may appoint an amicus curiae to assist the court in adjudicating the criminal contempt case.