New Delhi: In the latest development in the Delhi excise policy case, Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal and several other former accused have moved a recusal application before the Delhi High Court seeking the recusal of Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma from the case.
According to the AAP’s legal team, Kejriwal is likely to appear in court on April 6 to present his arguments in person.
The ED’s plea seeks to remove certain remarks made by the special CBI-ED court, calling them unnecessary and damaging. The agency argued that these observations were made without giving it a chance to be heard and were not relevant to the case, thereby violating principles of natural justice and harming its credibility.
Delhi High Court set deadline for Arvind Kejriwal
Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia also received an additional two weeks’ time to respond to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) petition. The High Court has set April 22 as the final deadline for both to file their responses.
The High Court has warned Kejriwal and other former accused that if respondents fail to file their response within the deadline, then their rights will be limited in this case.
Earlier, Keriwal, Sisodia, and others received relief as they were discharged by the special ED court after insufficient evidence against them. However, that decision is now under challenge in the High Court by the CBI.
Separately, Kejriwal and Sisodia have also written to the Chief Justice, requesting that the case be transferred from Justice Sharma’s bench to another court.
Kejriwal cited that the case will be transferred to another ‘impartial’ judge. Kejriwal claimed he has a “grave, bona fide, and reasonable apprehension” that the hearing would not be impartial in the case.
Kejriwal also challenged Justice Sharma’s order after she put on hold a trial court direction to investigate the CBI officer who investigated Kejriwal’s excise policy case. She gave this order on March 9.
