Delhi HC Grants Time to Kejriwal in Excise Policy Appeal

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and 21 other accused additional time to respond to a Central Bureau of Investigation petition challenging their discharge in a corruption case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma adjourned the matter until April 6, allowing the respondents two weeks to file their replies despite objections from the CBI.

The case stems from allegations of irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the 2021-22 excise policy, which was withdrawn in 2022 amid claims of favoritism toward private liquor vendors. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have investigated the matter, naming several Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Kejriwal and Sisodia, as accused. On February 27, a trial court discharged all 23 individuals, ruling that the prosecution's case lacked admissible evidence and relied on speculation rather than facts. The court described the chargesheet as containing significant gaps, unsupported by witness statements, and criticized the CBI for implicating public servants without cogent material. It further recommended a departmental inquiry against the agency's...