Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, and Manish Sisodia and other accused in the excise policy scam case on Wednesday wrote to Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, urging him to transfer the case from Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
The AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, sought the transfer of the case to an “impartial” bench, saying if the matter is heard by Justice Sharma, it may not receive an impartial hearing.
In a written representation made to Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, the AAP leaders accused Justice Sharma of “bias”.
The move came days after the CBI moved the High Court against a lower court’s decision to discharge Kejriwal and others in the case.
A Special Court in Delhi had discharged all 23 accused, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, in the Delhi liquor police case. The court also order an inquiry against the investigation officer.
Earlier on Monday, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to Kejriwal and other accused in the case, seeking their stand on the petition filed by the CBI challenging their discharge by the trial court.
The notice was issued by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who also listed the CBI’s petition for hearing on March 16. Justice Sharma also stayed the lower court’s observation made against the CBI officials investigating the case.