Delhi HC to hear CBI plea against Kejriwal discharge in liquor case

The Delhi High Court will on Monday hear the CBI's petition challenging a trial court order that discharged AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case. Justice Manoj Jain is also expected to take up applications by Kejriwal and Sisodia seeking dismissal of the CBI's revision petition as non-maintainable. The Siasat Daily reports the AAP leaders have claimed the CBI filed its plea with "unprecedented haste", just four hours after the discharge order, and in a "most unserious manner".

On February 27, the trial court discharged all accused, ruling the case could not survive judicial scrutiny. In its revision petition, the CBI argues the discharge order was "patently illegal" and based on a "selective reading of the prosecution case". The agency also says the trial court conducted a mini-trial at the charge-framing stage and made unwarranted adverse remarks against the investigating officer. Justice Jain had earlier given Kejriwal, Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak a final two-week deadline to respond.