Delhi High Court Seeks Response From Kejriwal, Sisodia On CBI Plea In Excise Case
The Delhi High Court directed the trial court not to proceed with the ED's money laundering case until it decides the CBI's revision petition.
Published : March 9, 2026 at 2:09 PM IST
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices to former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia and 21 other accused while hearing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) petition challenging a trial court order that had discharged them in the alleged Delhi excise policy case.
A bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma directed the accused to respond to the CBI's plea and listed the matter for further hearing on March 16, 2026. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, argued that the February 27 order of the Rouse Avenue Court was "unusual" and contrary to criminal jurisprudence, claiming the trial court had effectively given the accused the benefit of acquittal without a trial.
Mehta also said the case involved sufficient evidence and witnesses that were allegedly overlooked by the trial court and described the matter as "the biggest scam in the history of Delhi." Taking note of the submissions, the High Court stayed the adverse remarks made by the trial court against the CBI and its investigating officers.
The High Court also directed the trial court not to proceed with the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) money laundering case linked to the excise policy matter until it decides the CBI's revision petition. The ED case is based on the predicate offence being investigated by the CBI.
Trial Court Had Discharged All Accused
On February 27, the Rouse Avenue Court discharged all 23 accused, including Kejriwal, Sisodia and Telangana Jagruthi founder K Kavitha, saying the chargesheet contained contradictions, and the evidence presented did not match witness statements. The trial court also noted that Sisodia spent around 530 days in jail, while Kejriwal remained in custody for 156 days across two separate periods before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in the CBI case on September 13, 2024.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, after questioning in the excise policy probe. The apex court granted him interim bail on May 10, 2024, until June 1, following which he surrendered on June 2, 2024. He was later arrested by the CBI on June 26, 2024.
The ED filed its sixth supplementary chargesheet on May 10, 2024, naming K Kavitha, Chanpreet Singh, Damodar Sharma, Prince Kumar and Arvind Singh as accused. The court took cognisance of the chargesheet on May 29, 2024. The top court granted bail to K Kavitha on August 27, 2024, in both the CBI and ED cases.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva welcomed the High Court's decision to hear the CBI’s petition, saying the truth would ultimately prevail. Meanwhile, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said the High Court has not stayed the trial court’s order discharging AAP leaders in the alleged excise policy case.
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