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‘Let’s see if they’re okay with this bench’: Delhi HC issues notices to Kejriwal, two others

Delhi excise policy case: While Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, pushed for an early hearing, the court said a day or two won’t make a difference

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 19, 2026 02:50 PM IST

Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference at party office, in New Delhi on May 9. (Source: Express Archives)

The Delhi High Court issued fresh notices to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and former AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak, after they opted to remain legally unrepresented in court in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s plea challenging the discharge of 23 accused — including the trio — in the alleged liquor policy scam.

Justice Manoj Jain on Tuesday orally remarked, “Let them be served and be intimated that the case has now been allocated to this bench. Once everybody is here (legally represented), we will draw a schedule for hearing, taking into account the convenience of all…”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, argued that the three have already been served notices earlier.

To which, Justice Jain remarked, “Let me tell you, a day here or there will not make any difference… We will see if they (Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak) are okay with present allocation or they have some reservation. We will wait for 2-3 days and see.”

The court will now hear the matter next on May 25.

Urging the court to hear the matter, Mehta said, “This is a case where serious allegations and scientific investigation was carried and chargesheet was filed… They were discharged; our submission is that it (the trial court’s order discharging them) cannot stand scrutiny of any court… This is a matter which cannot brook any delay, this is a scam in the capital of the nation, it has to be decided at the earliest.”

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The trial court verdict

In February, the trial court had discharged 23 accused in the case, including the AAP leaders.

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The CBI had then moved the Delhi HC with a criminal revision plea, challenging the discharge.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who was earlier dealing with the plea, had stayed the trial court’s recommendation for action against the CBI’s investigating officer.

While 7 of the 23 accused had sought Justice Sharma’s recusal from the matter, the court had refused to recuse itself. Following this, Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak had voluntarily opted to remain legally unrepresented before Justice Sharma’s court.

Last week, Justice Sharma initiated criminal contempt proceedings suo motu against seven AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak, while transferring the CBI and Enforcement Directorate’s pleas out of her court.

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The ED, in its plea, is seeking expungement of adverse remarks against the agency by the trial court.

On Tuesday, a division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja issued notice to the seven alleged contemnors.

Sohini Ghosh

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

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