AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal (right), and Manish Sisodia
The Delhi High Court on Thursday (July 16) granted a final opportunity to AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak, to respond within two weeks to the CBI’s plea against a trial court order discharging them in the liquor policy case.
Justice Manoj Jain deferred hearing on CBI’s revision petition after none appeared for the discharged accused persons due to work abstention by High Court lawyers in protest against the proposed enhancement of the pecuniary jurisdiction of Delhi’s district courts. The court listed the case for hearing arguments on behalf of the investigating agency on August 17.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, said the three AAP leaders were earlier given several opportunities by the High Court to file their replies, and the case has been “sufficiently delayed.”
“In any case if I am giving a date, we will make it clear that they would be at liberty to file a reply,” Justice Jain responded. The judge added that a time frame shall be fixed for hearing submissions on behalf of the discharged accused persons.
“Although opportunity was granted to them earlier on several occasions, in view of interest of justice, one last and final opportunity is granted to them to file replies within two weeks from today,” the court ordered.
On May 25, the court had deferred the hearing till July 16 on CBI’s petition to await the presence of counsel on behalf of the unrepresented AAP leaders, who had earlier boycotted the hearing before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
The excise policy case came before Justice Jain after Justice Sharma released it from her board after initiating contempt action against Kejriwal, Sisodia, Pathak and others for their alleged “vilifying” social media posts against her.
Published – July 17, 2026 04:50 am IST
