Kejriwal, Sisodia Urge Delhi High Court to Dismiss CBI Plea in Liquor Policy Case

Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia have urged the Delhi High Court in New Delhi to dismiss a revision petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging their discharge in the liquor policy case.

In separate applications submitted to the court, the AAP founders argued that the central agency filed its petition with "unprecedented haste" and in the "most unserious manner." They questioned the maintainability of the CBI's plea, stating that it failed to demonstrate any "perversity" in the trial court's verdict and instead improperly sought to re-examine evidence.

The applications pointed out that the CBI moved its revision petition within four hours of the trial court issuing the discharge order. The AAP leaders noted that the discharge judgment by the special judge ran into more than 500 pages, arguing that the rapid filing manifestly showed a complete lack of appreciation for the findings reached by the court.

Kejriwal and Sisodia characterized the agency's revision petition as "bare-shell, omnibus and non-specific," asserting that the filing has caused grave prejudice to the respondents. They stated that the trial court discharged all accused persons after conducting detailed hearings over a period of more than three months. According to the respondents, the CBI has failed to cite any specific findings showing irregularity or perversity, relying instead on "self-serving facts."

Justice Manoj Jain is scheduled to hear the CBI's petition against the February 27 trial court order on August 17 and August 18. During the previous hearing, Justice Jain granted a final two-week window for Kejriwal, Sisodia, and AAP functionary Durgesh Pathak to file their responses to the agency's plea.