India

‘I’m not corrupt; court said Kejriwal and Sisodia are honest’: Ex-Delhi CM as court effectively closes liquor policy case

Arvind Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of seeking to finish the Aam Aadmi Party using the liquor policy case.

Statesman News Service | New Delhi | February 27, 2026 12:07 pm

‘I’m not corrupt; court said Kejriwal and Sisodia are honest’: Ex-Delhi CM as court effectively closes liquor policy case

Arvind Kejriwal (ANI Video Grab)

“I am not corrupt,” was an emotional Arvind Kejriwal’s first reaction as a Special Court on Friday discharged all 23 accused, including the former Delhi chief minister and his deputy, Manish Sisodia, in the Delhi excise policy case.

Speaking to reporters outside the Rouse Avenue Court, Kejriwal broke down and reiterated that he is not a corrupt person. “The court has said that Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia are honest,” the AAP national convenor said, while also mentioning the name of his party colleague who was standing beside him.

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Kejriwal further said he had full faith in the judiciary and always believed that truth emerges as the winner in the end.

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“Today, the court has discharged all the accused in this case. We always said that the truth emerges victorious. We have full faith in the Indian legal system,” the former CM said.

‘Modi-Shah conspiracy against AAP’

He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of seeking to finish the Aam Aadmi Party using the liquor policy case and other issues.

“Amit Shah and Modi ji together hatched the biggest political conspiracy to finish AAP and 5 big leaders of the party were put in jail. The sitting CM was dragged out of his house and put in jail. Kejriwal is not corrupt. I have only earned honesty in my life. Today, the court has said that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and AAP are honest,” Kejriwal said.

Commenting on the judgement, Kejriwal’s lawyer advocate Vivek Jain said the prosecution could not prove any allegation in the court.

“The court has said that it meticulously went through all evidence produced by the CBI and not a shred of allegation can be said to cross the threshold of charge. The court has discharged them, saying that there is no allegation which can be held to be true in this matter. The court has also said that the framing of the excise policy was done through institutional safeguards, and there cannot be any doubt on the mannerism and the way the policy has been framed,” Jain told the media.

Reacting to the Delhi court order, Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal said, “I would like to thank God today. Arvind ji has spent his life with honesty. But these people (BJP) sent Arvind ji and his associates to jail. I had faith that truth would prevail. I would like to thank all those who stood by us.”

Case failed to withstand judicial scrutiny: Court

It may be noted that the case in the liquor policy issue was filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Discharging all 23 accused, Special Judge (PC Act) Jitender Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court said there was no overarching conspiracy or criminal intent in the formulation of the excise policy. The judge said the prosecution’s case had failed to withstand judicial scrutiny.

The court in its ruling pointed out that the central agency had tried to paint a narrative of conspiracy, but it failed to present any evidence, and the allegations were based on mere conjecture.

The judge concluded that no prima facie case was made out against any of the 23 accused persons and ordered their discharge.

Departmental inquiry against CBI officials

The court also rapped the CBI over its investigative approach, especially its move to rely on approver statements.

The court noted that it was improper on the part of the CBI to grant a pardon to an accused, make him an approver, and then use his statements to fill gaps in the probe or rope in additional accused. Such conduct is violative of the constitutional safeguards and the court could not allow it, the judge stated.

Significantly, the court indicated that it would recommend a departmental inquiry against CBI officials for making a public servant, Kuldeep Singh, the accused number one in the case.

Delhi Excise Policy: What were the allegations?

The Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was brought in by the then Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, but it was later scrapped amid allegations of corruption.

The CBI had claimed that the policy was framed in a manner that it benefited select private entities by bringing down license fees and fixing profit margins. This allowed bribery and caused financial losses to the Delhi government, the CBI alleged.

The CBI had filed the FIR in August 2022 following a complaint by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

Today’s order effectively brings the CBI’s case to a close at the trial court stage, with the court ruling that the allegations did not meet the threshold required for framing charges.

Sources, meanwhile, said the CBI will move the Delhi High Court to challenge the Rouse Avenue Court judgment discharging Kejriwal and Sisodia in the excise policy case.

‘Money laundering case closed automatically’

Nitesh Rana, the advocate for Telangana Jagruthi President K Kavitha, who was also made an accused in the case, said the money laundering angle in the case also ceases automatically with the court discharging all 23 accused.

“The court has discharged all the accused today on the ground that the CBI investigation was not good, that there was no material and evidence on which charges can be framed. I represented K Kavitha and Arun Pillai in this case, and both of them have been discharged.

“The court and the judge objected to the usage of the word ‘South Lobby’. Once the predicate offence is dropped, the money laundering case cannot be further pursued. Because the money laundering case was piggyriding on the scheduled offence, the money laundering case is also dropped automatically,” Rana told the media.

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