In a significant legal development, the Rouse Avenue Courts in Delhi on Friday discharged former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and twenty-one other accused persons in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam.
The court observed that the investigating agency failed to present material sufficient to proceed with a trial against the accused, noting that no prima facie case was established.
The matter pertains to the CBI’s investigation into alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The agency had alleged a conspiracy involving high-ranking public officials and private individuals to grant undue favors to liquor license holders. Following a lengthy investigation, the CBI filed a voluminous chargesheet naming 23 individuals, including prominent political leaders.
The order was passed by Special Judge Jitender Singh, who meticulously examined the evidence and the chargesheet placed on record by the CBI. The court refused to frame charges against any of the 23 accused persons, leading to their discharge.
A primary observation made by the court was the lack of “cogent material” connecting the accused to the alleged offences. Regarding the former Chief Minister, the judge noted:
“Arvind Kejriwal had been implicated without any cogent material connecting him to the alleged offence.”
The court further highlighted significant “lacunae” within the prosecution’s case. Despite the “voluminous” nature of the chargesheet filed by the CBI, the court found that the allegations were not substantiated by witness statements or any reliable corroborative material.
Emphasizing the importance of procedural integrity, the judge remarked that a “fair investigation is fundamental to ensuring a fair trial.” In this instance, the court found that the evidence presented did not meet the legal threshold required to frame charges and proceed to the trial stage.
Finding the prosecution’s case to be deficient in both evidence and connectivity, the court held that no prima facie case was made out against the accused. Consequently, Special Judge Jitender Singh discharged all 23 accused persons, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, from the corruption case.
