AAP National Organizer Arvind Kejriwal. File | Photo credit: ANI
A Delhi court on Thursday (January 22, 2026) acquitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in cases related to skipping summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case.
Additional Chief Justice Paras Dalal of the Rouse Avenue court acquitted Mr. Kejriwal. A detailed order is pending.
The central agency, which investigates money laundering cases related to the alleged excise duty scam, approached the court in February 2024 saying that Mr. Kejriwal, one of the accused in the matter, failed to comply with his repeated questioning.
The summons issued by the agency was against the law and politically motivated, Mr. Kejriwal said.
The AAP leader welcomed the court’s verdict. “Truth alone wins,” X said in a post on social media.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that no matter how much one tries to suppress the truth, eventually it will come out.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “BJP’s misdeeds will end and justice will prevail. The conspiracy to falsely implicate Arvind Kejriwal by misusing ED and CBI has been exposed again. The court order is a sharp rebuke to the Modi government.”
The case stems from a complaint filed by Delhi Governor VK Saxena, who alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of excise duty policy in Delhi in 2022.
The initial First Information Report was submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which alleged in the chargesheet that there were irregularities in the adjustment of the excise duty policy; improper benefits were given to licensees; the license fee has been waived or reduced; and the L-1 license was renewed without the approval of the competent authority. The beneficiaries diverted “illegal” profits to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to avoid detection.
The ED later charged several people with money laundering, including Mr. Kejriwal, who was arrested in the case and granted bail by the Supreme Court after spending several months in jail.
Published – 22 Jan 2026 20:36 IST
