Delhi Court Discharges Kejriwal and Sisodia in Excise Policy Corruption Case, Deems CBI Chargesheet Deficient
A Delhi court on Friday delivered a significant verdict by discharging former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the high-profile 2022 excise policy-related corruption case. The court refused to take cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), marking a major legal development in this politically charged matter.
Court Criticizes CBI Chargesheet as Deficient and Lacking Judicial Scrutiny
In its detailed order, the court explicitly called the CBI chargesheet deficient and stated that the allegations failed to withstand judicial scrutiny. The bench emphasized that the purported central conspiratorial role attributed to the accused could not be substantiated with concrete evidence. Furthermore, the court found no criminal intent on the part of Manish Sisodia, a key observation that bolstered the defense's arguments.
In total, 23 accused individuals were discharged in this case, effectively clearing them of the charges brought forward by the investigative agency. This wholesale discharge underscores the court's view of the evidentiary shortcomings in the prosecution's case.
Background of the CBI Allegations and Legal Proceedings
The CBI had alleged that a so-called "south lobby" paid approximately Rs 100 crore to influence the now-scrapped excise policy of the AAP government in Delhi. The agency filed its initial chargesheet in 2022 and subsequently submitted multiple supplementary chargesheets. Notably, Arvind Kejriwal was named in the fourth supplementary chargesheet, a point that the defense highlighted during arguments.
During the legal proceedings, the CBI maintained that criminal conspiracy must be viewed in its entirety and argued that the sufficiency of evidence should be tested during a full trial. However, the defense countered vigorously, asserting that there was no incriminating material directly linking Kejriwal to the alleged conspiracy. They pointed out that he was not named in the initial or earlier supplementary chargesheets, questioning the timing and basis of his inclusion.
Political Reactions and Statements from AAP Leaders
Following the court's decision, AAP leaders celebrated the verdict as a vindication and launched sharp criticisms against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of misusing investigative agencies to target political opponents.
Arvind Kejriwal, appearing visibly emotional while interacting with journalists, stated, "The BJP was accusing us. Today, the court dismissed all charges and discharged all the accused. We have faith in the Indian judicial system, and I thank the judge very much for doing justice to us. Truth prevailed."
Manish Sisodia echoed these sentiments, saying, "Satyameva Jayate. Today, once again, we feel proud of Babasaheb Ambedkar's visionary thinking and the Constitution he gave us. Despite every attempt by Prime Minister Modi's entire party and all agencies to brand us as dishonest, it has now been proven that Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia are staunchly honest."
Other prominent AAP figures also weighed in:
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann remarked, "All the institutions are being used to finish off opponents and have become political weapons."
- Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh posted on social media, "The court has acquitted our leaders. It has been proven that a dangerous conspirator is ruling the country. Through a conspiracy, he defamed the country's most popular and honest chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal; the most capable and honest education minister, Manish Sisodia; and the finest and most honest party, the Aam Aadmi Party. Our leaders were subjected to torture in jail. Apologise to the nation, Narendra Modi."
- Former Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj slammed the BJP on social media, writing, "Just think — both children studied at IIT, and their IITian IRS officer father, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, was left to rot in jail. Shame on the BJP's dirty mindset."
This verdict not only represents a legal victory for Kejriwal, Sisodia, and the AAP but also intensifies the political discourse around the alleged misuse of central agencies, setting the stage for further debates in the run-up to future elections.
