Delhi High Court Adjourns CBI Challenge In Liquor Policy Case To July 16 Amid Strike
Delhi High Court adjourned the CBI’s challenge against the discharge of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case to July 16
The Delhi High Court on Monday adjourned to July 16 the CBI’s challenge against the discharge of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak in the alleged liquor policy case.
The matter, listed before Justice Manoj Jain, came up after being reassigned following earlier proceedings in which Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had initiated contempt action and transferred the case.
Court staff, meanwhile, informed the Bench that vakalatnamas for all three respondents had been filed only on the same day.
Taking note of the lawyers’ strike and the day’s procedural developments, the Court observed that it was a “peculiar” situation and indicated that the matter could be taken up in mid-July.
While the Solicitor General suggested an earlier listing, the Court maintained that July 16 was appropriate given the existing roster and pendency of other urgent matters.
Accordingly, the High Court adjourned the matter to July 16.
Notably, on May 19, the Court had issued fresh notices to the three respondents. Earlier, Justice Sharma had rejected recusal pleas filed by Kejriwal and others, who had expressed apprehension of bias. She later decided to continue hearing the matter, prompting the accused to indicate that they would boycott proceedings before her.
The CBI’s revision petition challenges the trial court’s order dated February 27, which discharged all 23 accused in the case, including senior political leaders. The trial court had also made strong observations questioning aspects of the CBI’s investigation. In a detailed order, the court criticised the investigation conducted by the CBI, observing that the agency had implicated the accused without sufficient material.
The judge had noted that the voluminous chargesheet contained several lacunae and was not supported by witness statements or substantive evidence. The High Court had earlier observed that certain findings of the trial court appeared prima facie erroneous, leading to the CBI’s challenge in revision.
What has happened so far in the Delhi Excise policy case:
It is to be noted that Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia had written to Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court, stating that he will not participate in further hearings in the matter, citing concerns over the “appearance of impartial justice” and invoking principles of conscience and Satyagraha. Sisodia’s letter follows a similar communication by Arvind Kejriwal a day earlier. Referring to it, Sisodia stated, “I have carefully considered the substance of that letter… I find myself in respectful agreement with the stand taken by him, which is based on Mahatma Gandhi's teachings on Satyagraha.”
Case Title: CBI v. Kuldeep Singh & Ors.
Bench: Justice Manoj Jain
Hearing Date: May 25, 2026