A Delhi court on Friday acquitted former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia and all 21 others accused in a case alleging corruption in the formulation of a new liquor policy for the national capital, delivering a majot setback for the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The Rouse Avenue court observed that there was no overarching conspiracy or criminal intent in the framing of the excise policy. The matter, which later came to be known as the Delhi liquor policy case, had caused significant political and legal challenges for the Aam Aadmi Party leadership when they were in power in Delhi.
The case stemmed from the excise policy introduced by the AAP government in 2021–22, which the Kejriwal administration had claimed would generate substantially higher revenue compared to the previous model.
Here's the timeline of the Delhi excise policy case:
- November 2021: The Delhi government implemented a new excise policy for 2021–22.
- July 8, 2022: The Delhi Chief Secretary submitted a report alleging gross violations in the implementation of the policy.
- July 22, 2022: Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor recommended a CBI probe into alleged violations of rules in the formulation and execution of the excise policy.
- August 19, 2022: The CBI conducted raids on then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 3 others in connection with the case.
- August 22, 2022: The Enforcement Directorate registered a money laundering case linked to the liquor policy.
- September 2022: Aam Aadmi Party communications head Vijay Nair was arrested by the CBI in the case.
- March 2023: The Enforcement Directorate arrested Manish Sisodia in the money laundering case related to the excise policy.
- October 2023: AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
- October 2023: The ED issued its first summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the case.
- March 16, 2024: Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
- March 21, 2024: Arvind Kejriwal skipped the ED’s summons for the 9th time in the Delhi liquor policy case. Hours later, the Delhi High Court declined to grant him protection from arrest. The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches and questioned him at his residence before formally arresting him.
- September 2024, the Supreme Court grants bail to Kejriwal in the case, allowing him to be released from custody under conditions.
- In late 2024 and 2025, Delhi High Court and trial courts continued to process bail pleas and other matters related to the CBI and ED investigations.
- February 27, 2025: Rouse Avenue court clears Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, K Kavitha among all 23 in the case.
