New Delhi27 February. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Delhi High Court in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam case. In this, the trial court’s order acquitting all 23 accused including former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been challenged.
Confirming this new development, the CBI legal team said that the agency has formally challenged the discharge order and is demanding its cancellation.
Earlier in the day on Friday, a special court in the national capital had acquitted all the accused in the case registered by the CBI in connection with the now abolished Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. This order was given by Special Judge (PC Act) Jitendra Singh of Rouse Avenue Court.
The special court held that there was no major conspiracy or criminal intent in framing the excise policy and ruled that the prosecution’s case could not withstand judicial scrutiny. The judge said that the CBI had tried to create a story of criminal conspiracy, but its theory was based on speculation rather than solid and credible evidence.
The court found that there was no prima facie case made out against any of the 23 accused and hence ordered their discharge. The judge also strongly disapproved of the agency’s investigative methods, particularly its reliance on the statements of an approver.
The court said it was wrong to pardon an accused, make him an approver, and then use his statements to fill in the gaps in the prosecution’s case or implicate more people. The court warned that allowing this would be a serious violation of constitutional safeguards. The court also said that it would recommend a departmental inquiry against the CBI officers for making public servant Kuldeep Singh the number one accused in the case.
This case started with allegations of corruption in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 brought by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The CBI had alleged that the policy was designed to favor some private liquor license holders by allegedly causing bribes and financial losses to the Delhi government by reducing license fees and fixing profit margins.
The CBI had registered an FIR in August 2022 following the complaint of Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. According to the agency, a criminal conspiracy was allegedly hatched at the policy formulation stage in which loopholes were deliberately created after the tender process to benefit certain entities.
With the Special Court’s order acquitting all the accused, the case is currently over at the trial court stage. After the challenge by CBI, now Delhi High Court will examine the legal validity of that order.
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