Kejriwal, Sisodia rejoin Delhi excise policy hearings before new HC bench

AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak on Monday (May 25) chose to appear in proceedings related to the excise policy case before Justice Manoj Jain in the Delhi High Court. Earlier, they had opted to stay away from the hearings when the matter was being heard by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

Justice Sharma, after initiating contempt proceedings against Kejriwal and several other AAP leaders over their allegedly defamatory remarks against her, withdrew from hearing the case, following which the excise policy case was posted before Justice Jain.

Fresh vakalatnamas filed

According to a report in the Bar and Bench, when Justice Jain on Monday took up the case for hearing, he found that three vakalatnamas have been filed on behalf of Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak, following which the judge said that everyone would be heard on the next date.

Also Read: Round One to Kejriwal: How a contempt order delivered the recusal he was denied

"They [Kejriwal and others] have filed vakalatnamas, so on the next date of hearing, we will see and draw a schedule for the hearing," said Justice Jain before adjourning the case till July 16. He further stated that the court will finalise a schedule for the hearing of the parties.

CBI challenge to discharge order

A trial court on February 27 this year discharged Kejriwal and 22 other accused in the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently challenged the order, and the matter initially came up before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court.

Also Read: Kejriwal vs Delhi HC judge: Protest against the law or political gamble?

On March 9, Justice Sharma issued notice on the CBI plea and stayed the trial court's direction for departmental proceedings against the investigating officer.

She also recorded a prima facie view that certain observations made in the trial court's order appeared to be erroneous and directed that proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), arising out of the CBI case, be deferred.

Recusal and contempt

Kejriwal and other accused, including Sisodia, Pathak, Vijay Nair, Arun Pillai and Chanpreet Singh Rayat, later sought Justice Sharma's recusal, alleging conflict of interest and ideological bias. The pleas were rejected initially, though Justice Sharma later initiated contempt proceedings and eventually stepped aside from hearing the excise policy case.