Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 9: The Delhi High Court on Monday put on hold an adverse remark made by a trial court against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case, even as it took up the agency’s challenge to the discharge of several accused, including former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia.

Acting on a request by Tushar Mehta, the Solicitor General of India, the High Court indicated it would stay the operation of the “prejudicial” remarks made by the trial court against CBI officials.

The court set aside the February 27 observation made by the Rouse Avenue Court, which had termed the CBI’s theory “demonstrably erroneous, economically illiterate and legally unsustainable,” while stating that the prosecution had failed to present substantial evidence against the accused.

However, while hearing the CBI’s plea challenging the discharge order, the High Court declined to stay the trial court’s decision clearing the accused.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notices to Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 other accused, seeking their responses to the CBI’s petition and listed the matter for further hearing on March 16.

During the hearing, the court also indicated it might direct the trial court to defer proceedings in the related money-laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court to expedite the case and set a clear timeline for hearings. He argued that the trial court’s decision to discharge the accused was flawed and described the order as “perverse,” claiming it had effectively overturned established criminal law principles.

According to him, the controversy over the now-scrapped excise policy was one of the largest corruption cases in recent times and involved a clear conspiracy and bribery linked to the formulation and implementation of the policy.

Mehta told the court that the CBI had gathered substantial evidence, including statements from approvers and witnesses, to frame charges against Kejriwal, Sisodia and others.

On February 27, the Rouse Avenue Court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 other accused, ruling that the CBI’s case lacked sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. Among those cleared was K. Kavitha of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi.

The CBI is investigating alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy introduced by the AAP government in Delhi.