The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Friday, February 27, 2026, that it will move the Delhi High Court at the earliest to challenge a trial court’s decision to discharge former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the excise policy case. The agency told reporters it plans an appeal after the trial court declined to take cognisance of the CBI’s chargesheet earlier the same day.
A special court, presided over by Judge Jitendra Singh, discharged the accused after finding that the material presented by the CBI did not establish sufficient grounds for prosecution. The judge recorded what he described as inconsistencies and multiple gaps in the chargesheet, and said several allegations were not corroborated by evidence or witness testimony.
In its order, the court also flagged shortcomings in the CBI’s investigation and questioned the evidentiary basis used to implicate the accused. The agency has said parts of its probe were ignored or not adequately considered by the trial court when it rejected the chargesheet, prompting the decision to seek relief from the Delhi High Court.
The case relates to alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of Delhi’s now-scrapped excise (liquor) policy, which drew political controversy when it was introduced and later withdrawn. The CBI opened its investigation in August 2022, registering an FIR that invoked Indian Penal Code sections for criminal conspiracy, cheating and causing disappearance of evidence, along with offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The agency has accused Kejriwal and others of direct involvement in the policy’s formulation.
With the CBI set to file an appeal, the matter is expected to move to the Delhi High Court for review. The agency’s challenge centres on its contention that the trial court overlooked critical aspects of the investigation and misapplied the standard for taking cognisance of the charges.
Original Source: https://www.guwahatiplus.com/india/cbi-to-challenge-delhi-court-order-discharging-arvind-kejriwal-manish-sisodia-in-excise-policy-case
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Publish Date: 2026-02-27 13:51:00
