Delhi High Court gives Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak four weeks to reply in CBI excise case appeal

Justice Manoj Jain gave Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak four weeks to file replies to the CBI’s appeal in the Delhi excise policy case, calling it their final opportunity.

The three had sought dismissal of the appeal on preliminary grounds instead of filing responses on its merits, despite earlier opportunities. The court told their lawyers that they could not be selective in addressing the case, and noted that replies due after its July 16 order had not been filed.

Kejriwal’s counsel said the CBI had filed 103-page written submissions two days before the hearing, with annexures on the alleged roles of those named, an alleged money trail and claimed errors in the trial court order. He sought time to respond to what he described as additional grounds. The CBI opposed both the dismissal applications and the request for four weeks.

The appeal challenges a February 27 trial court order that discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others. The trial court had found that the material before it did not make out a prima facie case. The High Court has fixed October 5 and 6 for the CBI to begin its arguments.