Delhi court relief to Kajriwal, Sisodia in excise case; opposition rallies

Guwahati, Feb 27: In a major relief to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, a Delhi court on Friday discharged them in the high-profile excise policy case, triggering strong reactions from opposition leaders who termed the verdict a victory for truth and justice.

The Rouse Avenue Court refused to take cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged corruption and irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy. Besides Kejriwal and Sisodia, 21 others were also discharged in the case.

In its observations, the court noted that the prosecution had failed to present credible evidence to substantiate the allegations or establish any criminal conspiracy.

Special Judge Jitendra Singh reportedly pointed out significant lacunae in the chargesheet, describing several averments as misleading and unsupported by material or witness testimony.

The court highlighted internal contradictions in the investigation and underlined that a fair probe is essential to ensure a fair trial. It observed that there was no prima facie case against Sisodia and no material linking him to the alleged offence. It also noted that no recovery had been made from him.

Regarding Kejriwal, the court found no cogent evidence to support the allegations and stated that implicating him without substantiated proof would be inconsistent with the rule of law. A detailed order from the court is awaited.

The relief prompted strong reactions from opposition leaders, who questioned the role of central investigative agencies in politically sensitive cases. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the decision exposed what he described as a “larger political conspiracy” against the party’s leadership.

In a post on social media, Singh wrote, “The court has acquitted our leaders. It has been proven that a dangerous conspirator is ruling over the country’s power. Who hatched a conspiracy to defame the country’s most popular honest Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the most capable honest Education Minister Manish Sisodia. Our leaders were tortured in jail. Apologise to the country.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also welcomed the verdict, saying it demonstrated that truth had prevailed despite political pressure. In her post, she stated, “They fought the lies, the propaganda, the toxic political agenda and ensured truth and justice prevailed.”

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra congratulated the AAP leadership and criticised the use of investigative agencies in political battles. She posted, “Satyameva Jayate. All your dirty tricks, your ED, your CBI — all these puppets will die in the face of truth.”

The case had dominated national political discourse for nearly two years, with both leaders arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI over allegations that undue benefits were extended to certain liquor licence holders. The agencies had claimed that the policy resulted in financial losses and facilitated money laundering.

With inputs from news agencies