New Delhi, March 15: In the ongoing Delhi liquor scam case, Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Chief Minister, has approached the Supreme Court. He is seeking a transfer of the case from the bench of Justice Swarnakanta Sharma, which is currently hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal, to another bench.
Kejriwal filed a petition in the Supreme Court, arguing that a fair hearing would not be possible if the same judge continues to preside over the case. Previously, he had also written to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, requesting a change of bench, which was denied. The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the case before Justice Swarnakanta Sharma’s bench on Monday.
This case is linked to the CBI’s appeal against a trial court’s decision that acquitted all 23 accused, including Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Recently, Justice Swarnakanta Sharma’s bench issued notices to Kejriwal, Sisodia, and others regarding the CBI’s petition.
Kejriwal is also challenging the Delhi High Court’s order from March 9, which halted remarks made by the CBI’s investigating officer without hearing his side. On Monday, Kejriwal may request an expedited hearing before the bench led by the Chief Justice.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also filed a petition seeking to remove comments made by the trial court that were unfavorable to them. The ED argues that it was not a party to the case when the trial court made its ruling and did not have the opportunity to present its arguments. The Additional Solicitor General, S.V. Raju, representing the government, stated in court that the trial court’s comments could impact the ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The High Court has indicated that it will consider the ED’s complaint at the same time as the CBI’s petition, as the entire trial court decision has been challenged in the High Court. The CBI contends that the trial court’s decision was erroneous and that the accused were acquitted without a proper trial. According to the investigation agency, changes were allegedly made to the excise policy to benefit certain private liquor companies in exchange for bribes.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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