New Delhi, Mar 9 (PTI) After the Delhi High Court sought the stand of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and others on a CBI plea in the liquor policy case, the BJP on Monday termed it a “big win” for the investigating agencies and asserted that the fight against corruption must proceed on the strength of facts and evidence.
The ruling party also took a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party, questioning its claims of being “kattar imaandaar” (outright honest).
The high court on Monday sought the stand of Kejriwal, former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and 21 others on a petition by the CBI challenging their discharge in the case by the trial court.
BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said the development reinforced the seriousness of the probe into the liquor policy case.
“Big win for the investigating agencies in the Delhi Liquor Excise scam. This development reinforces the seriousness of the investigation and ensures that the evidence gathered by agencies receives proper judicial scrutiny,” Malviya said in a post on X.
“The fight against corruption must proceed on the strength of facts and evidence and today’s order is an important step in that direction,” he added.
Earlier, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notices to the accused and listed the matter for hearing on March 16.
The high court also indicated that it would stay the operation of certain remarks made by the trial court against CBI officials and would ask the trial court to defer proceedings in the related money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate until the present matter is decided.
Commenting on the development, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said those who portrayed the AAP as a victim should respond to the high court’s order.
“Will those who projected ‘Kattar Corrupt’ AAP as victim give similar importance when the High Court stayed the premise of the trial court’s adversarial commentary? Why are they silent?” he asked on X.
On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others, observing that the CBI’s case was unable to survive judicial scrutiny and lacked admissible evidence.
The CBI, which is probing alleged corruption in the formulation and execution of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, challenged the discharge order the same day, terming it “patently illegal” and “perverse”.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agency, contended that the discharge order had “turned the criminal law on its head” and argued that there was sufficient material to frame charges against the accused. PTI ADI PK KVK KVK
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