A dramatic turn unfolded in the Delhi excise policy case on Thursday after Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma announced that the matter involving Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders would now be heard by another bench.
The development came shortly after Justice Sharma initiated contempt proceedings against several top AAP leaders, accusing them of spreading “extremely vilifying, contemptuous and defamatory” material targeting both her and the judiciary.
However, the judge made it clear that the transfer of the case should not be interpreted as her accepting Kejriwal’s plea seeking her recusal.
“This Is Judicial Discipline, Not Recusal”
While addressing the court, Justice Sharma remarked that since she had initiated contempt proceedings in the matter, it would be appropriate for another bench to hear the case going forward.
“For a judge who is being targeted, it is a very lonely battle… This is not recusal. This is judicial discipline,” the judge observed during the hearing.
Earlier, Kejriwal had sought Justice Sharma’s recusal from the excise policy case, alleging bias and claiming she had participated in events linked to the RSS. The judge had refused to step aside, saying there was no material to substantiate allegations of prejudice or partiality.
Contempt Proceedings Against Top AAP Leaders
Justice Sharma ordered contempt proceedings against several senior AAP leaders, including:
- Arvind Kejriwal
- Manish Sisodia
- Sanjay Singh
- Saurabh Bhardwaj
- Durgesh Pathak
- Vinay Mishra
- Devesh Vishwakarma
The judge alleged that a “parallel narrative” was being created outside the courtroom through a coordinated digital campaign led by individuals “armed with political powers”.
According to Justice Sharma, edited videos and online posts were circulated to intimidate not only her personally but also the institution of the judiciary itself.
“My family members were dragged and vilified with edited videos… It was to intimidate not only me but the institution of the judiciary,” she said.
Kejriwal Had Publicly Questioned Fairness Of Proceedings
The latest developments follow a recent post by Kejriwal on X, in which he publicly expressed a lack of faith in receiving justice from Justice Sharma.
“My hope of receiving justice from Justice Swarnkanta Sharma Ji has been shattered,” the AAP chief wrote.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi and the principle of Satyagraha, Kejriwal had also declared that he would neither appear before the judge nor present arguments in the case.
Justice Sharma responded sharply on Thursday, stating that while judges are trained to accept criticism and dissent, there comes a point when silence can no longer be treated as judicial restraint.
“I am trained to accept fair criticism and dissent… The robe worn by the judge demands calmness,” she observed.
“However, sometimes remaining silent is not judicial restraint. The moment has arrived today,” she added.
Excise Policy Case Continues To Intensify
The Delhi excise policy case has remained one of the most politically charged legal battles in recent years, with several senior AAP leaders facing allegations linked to corruption and irregularities in the now-scrapped liquor policy.
Kejriwal is among the key accused in the case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The latest courtroom developments are likely to further intensify the ongoing political and legal confrontation between the AAP leadership and investigating agencies.