A Delhi court declined to press charges against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and others in a corruption case related to an alleged liquor policy scam. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to proceed against the accused and no indication of any criminal offense, including criminal conspiracy. Kejriwal and Sisodia were previously arrested in connection with the liquor policy probe but were later granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2024.
The case revolves around the Delhi government’s 2021–22 excise policy, which was retracted following allegations of irregularities in licensing and pricing mechanisms. Allegations suggest that leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Kejriwal and Sisodia, received kickbacks from a group called the ‘South Group’ in exchange for policy favors benefiting specific liquor licensees. Investigators claim that the flawed policy implementation led to substantial losses to the public treasury and involved manipulation of licensing regulations and exemptions.
In September 2024, Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the CBI corruption case with instructions to fully cooperate with trial proceedings and avoid public comments on the case’s merits. Earlier, the apex court also granted bail to Manish Sisodia in August 2024 after nearly 17 months of detention, citing the complexity of the trial involving numerous witnesses and extensive documentary evidence, which was unlikely to conclude promptly, thus risking a violation of the right to a speedy trial.
