Delhi High Court Issues Notice to Kejriwal and Others in Excise Policy Case

The Delhi High Court has issued notices to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, along with 21 others, in the ongoing excise policy case. The CBI has challenged a lower court's acquittal of the accused, claiming substantial evidence of corruption and conspiracy. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the trial court's decision was unjustified, as it was made without a proper hearing. The court previously ruled that the evidence presented by the CBI did not establish a prima facie case against Sisodia. This case continues to unfold, raising significant questions about political accountability and governance.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 9, 2026, 11:56 IST

High Court's Notice in Excise Policy Case

The Delhi High Court has issued notices to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and 21 others in connection with the excise policy case, following a petition from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On Monday, the CBI argued before the court that the lower court's decision to acquit Kejriwal and Sisodia was unjustified. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, described the excise policy case as one of the largest scams and a clear instance of corruption.

CBI's Claims of Evidence

Mehta asserted that the trial court had acquitted Kejriwal, Sisodia, and others without a proper hearing. He emphasized that the CBI has gathered substantial evidence indicating conspiracy and bribery related to the manipulation of the excise policy. According to him, there is ample evidence against Kejriwal, Sisodia, and others, with witnesses supporting the CBI's case. The CBI criticized the dismissal of the evidence collected, stating that it was overlooked despite being significant.

Court's Previous Ruling

Last week, a Delhi court ruled that the evidence presented by the CBI during the investigation into the excise policy did not sufficiently demonstrate a prima facie case of concealment, bias, or violation of constitutional rights, leading to the acquittal of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Special Judge Jitendra Singh is overseeing the case involving Sisodia, Kejriwal, K. Kavitha, the chairperson of Telangana Jagruti, and 20 other accused individuals. In a detailed 598-page order, the court noted that the available material did not indicate any prima facie case of misconduct or violation of rights.

Prosecution's Allegations

The prosecution claimed that Sisodia ignored a report from the Ravi Dhawan committee, which highlighted discrepancies in the excise policy. The court remarked that the policy was designed to address challenges posed by the previous excise policy, including improvements in distribution margins, which aimed to rectify monopolistic tendencies and regulatory shortcomings of the earlier system.