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 filing of the case.
Background of the Case
The CBI has alleged that Karti Chidambaram helped an alcoholic beverage company in connection with a ban on the duty-free sale of its whisky. The case pertains to the period between 2004 and 2010, but the FIR was registered only in 2025, leading to Chidambaram's plea citing inordinate delay.
Court Proceedings
Justice Sharma posted the matter for July 21 and directed that it be listed before another bench. Notably, the same bench had recently declined to recuse itself from hearing matters involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi liquor policy case. In those instances, the petitioners had sought Justice Sharma's recusal, citing a conflict of interest.
Legal Arguments
During the hearing, Karti Chidambaram's counsel argued that the case was based on events that occurred more than 15 years ago, and the delay in filing the FIR was unexplained and prejudicial. The CBI, however, maintained that the investigation was complex and required time to gather evidence.
The recusal by Justice Sharma marks a significant development in the case, which will now be heard by a different bench of the Delhi High Court. The next hearing is scheduled for July 21.
