Delhi Excise Case: High Court hears CBI's appeal; Rouse Avenue Court acquits Kejriwal and 23 others

A crucial hearing is taking place today in the Delhi High Court in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has challenged the Rouse Avenue Court's decision in the Delhi High Court, which acquitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and 23 other accused in the corruption case related to Delhi's excise policy. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta is representing the CBI.

In its 974-page petition, the CBI has termed the lower court's decision as shocking and illegal. The agency alleges that the trial court ignored crucial evidence and failed to properly consider the facts revealed during the investigation. The petition claims that there was a clear case of conspiracy to benefit certain private companies through the excise policy, but the lower court ignored it.

The case relates to the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22, which was implemented by the AAP government but was rescinded in July 2022 amid allegations of corruption, bribery, and cartelization. The CBI alleged that the policy was deliberately designed to give a few individuals a monopoly in the liquor trade and that bribes worth crores of rupees were exchanged. On February 27, 2026, the court of Special Judge Jitendra Singh acquitted all 23 accused in a 598-page order.

The court stated that the CBI's case was pre-planned and fabricated, based solely on statements. The court also ordered a departmental inquiry against the investigating officer. The CBI's petition will be heard in the Delhi High Court on March 9. The case is listed before a single bench of Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma. The hearing will take place as soon as the court reopens after the Holi holidays.