• Source:JND

Delhi Court Excise Policy Case Update: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Friday discharged the former Chief Minister of Delhi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal and party leader Manish Sisodia in the infamous Delhi excise policy case. The case is rooted in the Delhi liquor policy introduced by the then AAP government in 2022. As per the allegationsthe party intended to carry out financial irregularities through the now scrapped excise policy by introducing private players into the retail liquor sector.

Several party leaders, including former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, MP Sanjay Singh, former communication head Vijay Nair and the Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who were arrested in the case, had already been granted bail.

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What Is Delhi Excise Policy Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accused the party leaders of creating desperate loopholes in the then-introduced excise policy to benefit private players. The investigation was initiated after complaints from LG VK Saxena, and both CBI and ANI are carrying out the probe.

The allegation involved intentional loopholes to favour owners and stakeholders of the private sector, and waiver and reduction of the license fee. The policy draft was accepted by the Delhi LG in March 2021.

Why Delhi Excise Policy Ignited Controversy

Before the policy could be implemented, it was examined by the Chief Secretary, who flagged ‘procedural lapses’ and irregularities in the new policy. The report of the examination was sent to Deputy CM Sisodia, Delhi CM Kejriwal and LG VK Saxena. Saxena later filed a complaint over the irregularities in the policy.

Chief Secretary's Findings On Excise Policy

The report submitted to LG and CM claimed that Sisodia made changes in the policy without approval from LG. These changes included a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore on the tendered licence fee.

Officials said that changes made without the approval of the LG and the Cabinet are illegal and a violation of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 and the Transaction of Business Rules, 1993.

The chief secretary's report also alleged that Sisodia gave undue benefits to liquor licensees by revising the rates of foreign liquor and removing the levy of an import pass fee of Rs 50 per case of beer, making foreign liquor and beer cheaper for retail and causing a loss to the state exchequer.

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Delhi Liquor Police Case Timeline

  • The Delhi government introduced the new liquor policy for 2021-22 in November 2021. In July 2022, Delhi LG VK Saxena demanded an investigation into the case, alleging irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the policy.
  • After the CBI registered cases against 15 people, including Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, the Delhi government scrapped the policy in September 2022.
  • In November 2022, the CBI arrested the AAP communication head, Vijay Nair, a former CEO linked to AAP, and Hyderabad businessman Abhishek Boinpally.
  • In February 2023, the CBI arrested Sisodia after eight hours of questioning.
  • After issuing several summons to CM Kejriwal, CBI arrested him in March 2024 after the top court refused to grant protection to Kejriwal from arrest.
  • BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested in March 2024 for conspiring with south India based group and AAP to provide the party with a 100 cr bribe for the undue benefits given to private players.
  • Kejriwal was granted bail in May 2024 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal surrendered at Tihar Jail on June 2. On June 20, the trial court granted him regular bail, but the ED moved the high court to challenge this order on June 21. Kejriwal was rearrested on June 25 after the High Court stayed his bail.
  • K Kavitha was finally granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 7, 2024.
  • After a long court proceeding, the Rouse Avenue court on Friday, February 27, 2026, discharged former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Sisodia, among  23 people, from all charges.  

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