New Delhi High Court to hear CBI plea against AAP leaders in Delhi Excise Tax Policy case

The move comes after Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma initiated contempt proceedings against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and other party leaders. | Photo credit: PTI

A bench of Delhi High Court judge Manoj Jain will begin hearing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea on Tuesday challenging the court’s order that acquitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and others in the excise case.

The move comes after Supreme Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who was earlier hearing the case, ordered her transfer to another court following a criminal contempt case she had filed against Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia and other AAP leaders over “defamatory and insulting” social media posts directed at her in connection with the case.

Separate bench

A separate division bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja is scheduled to hear the contempt proceedings against the AAP leaders on Tuesday.

Justice Sharma initiated the contempt case after she cleared herself of videos and social media posts that claimed she was speaking at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh event.

The court said the videos were “selectively edited” to create a “misleading narrative”.

The court ruled that the statements by AAP leaders on social media went beyond fair criticism of the court order and amounted to an “attack” on the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

The judge clarified that he would not recuse himself from the case, saying that he had already entered judgment on the dismissal action and was “still on it.”

As criminal contempt proceedings had now been opened, the main case could not proceed before her court.

Mr. Kejriwal, Mr. Sisodia and other respondents filed applications to have Justice Sharma refuse to hear the CBI’s plea, which was alleging conflict of interest and concerns of bias.

After Justice Sharma refused to recuse himself, Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia and AAP leader Durgesh Pathak decided not to appear or be represented by lawyers in the proceedings.

Published – 19 May 2026 0:16 IST