The Delhi High Court on Monday adjourned till July 16 the hearing on a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the discharge of former Chief Minister of Delhi and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia and others, in the alleged excise policy corruption case.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Manoj Jain took on record the submission that ‘vakalatnamas’ have been filed on behalf of Kejriwal, Sisodia and AAP leader Durgesh Pathak, who had earlier abstained from participating in the proceedings when the matter was being heard by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the Centre’s second-highest law officer, submitted that the CBI had already filed an affidavit of service on Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak.
Referring to the earlier proceedings, SG Mehta contended that the respondents had earlier appeared in the matter and even moved recusal pleas, which were rejected.
Taking note of the development, Justice Jain observed that since ‘vakalatnamas’ had now been filed, the Delhi High Court would hear all parties on the next date of hearing and draw up a schedule for the proceedings.
The judge then listed the matter for further hearing on July 16.
The matter came before Justice Jain after it was reassigned from the Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, as criminal contempt proceedings were initiated against several AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh, over the alleged circulation of “vilifying and defamatory” material targeting the judiciary in connection with the excise policy case.
The AAP leaders had decided to abstain from participating in the proceedings after Justice Sharma declined to recuse herself from hearing the case.
Last week, Justice Jain had issued fresh notices to Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak after observing that several respondents had failed to appear or file their replies despite repeated opportunities.
In the previous hearing, SG Mehta had urged the Delhi High Court to take up the matter expeditiously, contending that the trial court’s discharge order “cannot stand scrutiny of law” and involves serious allegations.
The trial court, in a judgment running into more than 1,100 paragraphs delivered on February 27, had discharged all accused persons in the corruption case lodged by the CBI, holding that the now-scrapped excise policy was the outcome of a consultative and deliberative process and that the prosecution had failed to establish any overarching conspiracy.
In its revision plea before the Delhi High Court, the CBI has alleged that the excise policy introduced by the then AAP-led Delhi government was manipulated to favour select liquor traders in exchange for kickbacks.
