New Delhi, Feb 27: In a significant setback to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a Delhi court on Friday refused to frame charges against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other accused in the alleged excise policy corruption case.
Allowing their discharge pleas, the Rouse Avenue Court observed that the material placed on record during investigation did not disclose sufficient evidence to proceed with the case. The court held that no prima facie criminal offence, including charges of criminal conspiracy, was made out against the accused based on the evidence presented.
The case pertains to the Delhi government’s 2021–22 excise policy, which was later withdrawn following allegations of irregularities in licensing procedures and pricing structures. Central agencies had alleged that senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Kejriwal and Sisodia, received kickbacks from a cartel referred to as the “South Group” in exchange for policy decisions that allegedly favoured select liquor licensees. Investigators also claimed that deviations in implementation resulted in substantial losses to the public exchequer.
Kejriwal and Sisodia were arrested during the course of the investigation but were subsequently granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2024. In September 2024, the apex court granted bail to Kejriwal in the CBI case, directing him to cooperate with trial proceedings and refrain from commenting publicly on the merits of the matter. Sisodia was granted bail in August 2024 after spending nearly 17 months in custody, with the court noting that prolonged incarceration amid a lengthy trial would infringe upon the constitutional right to a speedy trial under Article 21.
