CBI moves Delhi HC against discharge of Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia in excise policy case
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "CBI moves Delhi HC against discharge of Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia in excise policy case")
Aam Aadmi Party national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, along with Party leaders Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bhardwaj, show a victory sign during a press conference after a Delhi court acquits him in the Delhi excise policy case, at the party's office in New Delhi on Friday. Photograph: (ANI)
The development comes after a special court in Delhi discharged all the accused in the case registered by the CBI in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021–22.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court's decision in the Delhi excise policy case after it discharged all 23 accused, including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Confirming the development, the CBI’s legal team said the agency has formally challenged the discharge order and is seeking its setting aside.
The development comes after a special court in Delhi discharged all the accused in the case registered by the CBI in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021–22.
The Special Court held that there was no overarching conspiracy or criminal intent in the formulation of the excise policy and ruled that the prosecution’s case did not withstand judicial scrutiny. The judge observed that the CBI had attempted to construct a narrative of criminal conspiracy, but its theory was based on conjectures rather than concrete and admissible evidence.
The court found that no prima facie case was made out against any of the 23 accused and accordingly ordered their discharge.
Special Judge (PC Act) Jitender Singh also came down heavily on the CBI and said the court would recommend a departmental inquiry against agency officials for making public servant Kuldeep Singh the number one accused in the case.
The case originated from the Excise Policy 2021–22 introduced by Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party government in November 2021 to modernise liquor sales by exiting the retail business and handing it entirely to private players. However, the policy was scrapped in July 2022 after allegations that tweaks were made to facilitate a 12% profit margin for wholesalers in exchange for Rs 100 crore in kickbacks. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party was accused of using the money to fund its election campaigns in Goa and Punjab.
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