A judge at the Delhi High Court withdrew from overseeing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and others. The PIL accused them of recording and sharing audio and video clips of court proceedings during a recusal plea by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy case. Following the judge’s recusal, the Chief Justice directed the PIL to be heard by a different Bench the next day.
The petitioner alleged that recordings of court proceedings from April 13, where Kejriwal presented his recusal application, were intentionally circulated to tarnish the court’s image. The petition claimed a conspiracy by Kejriwal and AAP leaders to mislead the public and discredit the court. It also mentioned political leaders amplifying the content online, including Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and AAP members.
The petitioner cited violations of court rules regarding recording and sharing proceedings without authorization. Despite complaints to the court registry and social media platforms, no effective actions were taken, leading to the PIL filing. The incident occurred amidst ongoing proceedings related to a CBI petition challenging the discharge of accused, including Kejriwal, in a corruption case linked to the Delhi excise policy.
