Delhi Court Clears Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in Excise Policy Case

New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): In a major development in the Delhi excise policy matter, the Rouse Avenue Court has acquitted former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, bringing significant relief to the Aam Aadmi Party leadership.

Delivering its judgment, the court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish any criminal conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy. The judge observed that the evidence placed on record was insufficient to prove the allegations against the two senior leaders. The court also raised serious concerns over the manner in which the investigation was conducted, noting several inconsistencies and gaps in the chargesheet. It stated that criminal charges cannot stand without credible and concrete proof.

Manish Sisodia, who was handling the Excise Department at the time the policy was introduced, had previously spent several months in custody in connection with the case. Arvind Kejriwal was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March 2024 while serving as Delhi’s Chief Minister and was later granted bail in July 2024. The excise policy case had named a total of 23 accused individuals, including key political figures. Both Kejriwal and Sisodia were out on bail at the time the verdict was delivered.

With the court dismissing the charges due to lack of evidence, the decision is being viewed as a political and legal setback for the investigating agencies. Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party have described the ruling as a vindication of their long-standing claim that the case was politically motivated. Further legal proceedings in related aspects of the case may continue, but for now, the court’s decision marks a crucial turning point in one of Delhi’s most high-profile political controversies.