“Justice Hope Shattered”: Kejriwal Boycotts High Court Hearing
In a dramatic development, Arvind Kejriwal has refused to appear before the Delhi High Court in the ongoing liquor policy case, alleging bias and a conflict of interest against Justice Swarnakanta Sharma. The former Delhi Chief Minister stated that his “hope of getting justice” from the court had been shattered and announced that he would neither attend the hearing nor present arguments.
Citing his conscience, Kejriwal said he would follow the path of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha. He further alleged that the judge’s children are part of the central government’s legal panel and receive cases from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, raising concerns about impartiality in a politically sensitive matter.
The controversy stems from the excise policy case, where a trial court had earlier acquitted Kejriwal and 22 others on February 27, while also questioning the CBI’s investigation. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation challenged the verdict in the High Court, where Justice Sharma stayed parts of the trial court’s order and made critical observations.
Kejriwal argued that despite a detailed trial court judgment, the High Court’s quick remarks raised doubts about fairness. His plea seeking the judge’s recusal was rejected on April 20, with Justice Sharma stating that stepping aside would send a wrong message that judges can be pressured to withdraw.
Kejriwal, who spent 156 days in jail in the case before securing bail, maintained that he had been falsely implicated and that the elected government was unjustly targeted.
He claimed that while the truth had prevailed in the trial court, the ongoing proceedings in the High Court had raised serious concerns of bias. The case continues to remain politically charged, with no immediate response from the court on Kejriwal’s latest refusal.
