Delhi High Court Grants Final Opportunity to Kejriwal and Others in Excise Policy Case

The Delhi High Court provided a final opportunity on Thursday to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and AAP leader Durgesh Pathak. This chance allows them to submit their responses to the CBI's revision petition, which challenges the trial court's ruling that acquitted all defendants in the Delhi excise policy case. Justice Manoj Jain noted that during the hearing, no lawyer appeared on behalf of Kejriwal, Sisodia, or Pathak. It was indicated to the court that, despite being given prior chances, only these three defendants have yet to file their responses. Acknowledging the delay, the bench granted them one last opportunity to present their replies and made it clear that any further postponement would not be tolerated. The next hearing for this matter has been scheduled for August 17 and 18.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General DP Singh, representing the CBI, urged the court to expedite the hearing and list the case for the last week of July. They emphasized the necessity for a swift resolution. The bench acknowledged the request but mentioned that advancing the dates seemed "a bit challenging." The court stated that it would reconsider this possibility if permitted by its board. Additionally, the High Court directed that the interim orders applicable to the case would remain in effect until the next hearing date.

The CBI has contested the trial court's February 27 decision that acquitted Kejriwal, Sisodia, and Durgesh Pathak in the Delhi excise policy case. Previously, when the case was transferred from Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma to Justice Manoj Jain, the High Court instructed the CBI to formally notify Kejriwal, Sisodia, and Pathak about the transfer. The court remarked that even though the transfer was widely reported in the media, formal notification was essential to ensure all parties could appear before the current bench.