In a significant development in the Delhi excise policy case involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, the hearing will now be taken up by Justice Manoj Jain in the Delhi High Court. The change comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation approached the court challenging the discharge granted to Kejriwal and other accused by the trial court.
Earlier, the matter was being heard by Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma. She recused herself after initiating criminal contempt proceedings against Kejriwal and several others in connection with separate developments. Following her recusal, the case was reassigned and listed for hearing on Tuesday (May 19). The Aam Aadmi Party claimed a major legal 'victory' after Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma recused herself from the excise policy case. The recusal comes after weeks of legal arguments by the AAP convenor and other accused parties regarding their right to an unbiased hearing.
CBI pushes for continuation of proceedings
The CBI has pressed ahead with its challenge to the trial court order that cleared Kejriwal and other co-accused of alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy. Arguments presented earlier saw the appearance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, both of whom supported ongoing judicial scrutiny of the case.
Separate contempt proceedings assigned
Meanwhile, a separate set of criminal contempt proceedings that stemmed from issues linked to the case have reportedly been assigned to a Division Bench comprising Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja. During earlier hearings, the High Court had raised concerns over public commentary, social media posts and the circulation of edited video clips related to the matter. The court also noted that criticism of judicial orders must adhere to constitutional boundaries and that remedies against such orders are available through established appellate procedures.
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