New Delhi: Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court on Tuesday recused herself from hearing a plea filed by Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeking the quashing of a criminal case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him. The judge cited a "gross delay" of nearly two decades in the matter.
Background of the Case
The CBI has alleged that Chidambaram assisted an alcoholic beverage company in connection with a ban on the duty-free sale of its whisky. The case pertains to events that occurred between 2004 and 2010, but the First Information Report (FIR) was registered in 2025. Chidambaram argued that the significant time gap between the alleged incidents and the filing of the FIR warranted the quashing of the case.
Court Proceedings
Justice Sharma, after hearing the submissions, posted the matter for July 21 and directed that it be listed before another bench. The judge's recusal came without any request from the petitioner or the CBI. Notably, the same bench had recently refused to recuse itself from hearing cases involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi liquor policy case. In those instances, Kejriwal and Sisodia had sought Justice Sharma's recusal citing a conflict of interest.
Legal Arguments
During the hearing, Karti Chidambaram's counsel emphasized the inordinate delay in the registration of the FIR, arguing that it amounted to an abuse of process. The CBI, on the other hand, maintained that the allegations were serious and required investigation. The court, however, did not delve into the merits of the case and simply recused itself from further proceedings.
The development marks a significant turn in the legal battle for the Congress MP, who now awaits the assignment of a new bench to hear his plea. The case has drawn attention due to the political implications and the involvement of a prominent opposition leader.
