New Delhi: Former Delhi CM and Chief of AAP Arvind Kejriwal and former Dy. CM Manish Sisodia have been acquitted on Friday in the high-profile Delhi liquor excise policy case.

The Rouse Avenue Court observed that there was no evidence against the two leaders, granting them a major reprieve. The Rouse Avenue Court discharged all 23 accused acquitted in the Delhi liquor excise policy case. The Court noted that the prosecution had failed to substantiate its allegations. The Court stated that the charges levelled against Manish Sisodia the CBI lacked merit, no criminal conspiracy could be established, and the prosecution was unable to prove its case. The Court emphasized the importance of a fair investigation to ensure a fair trial.

The decision comes after the Court reserved its verdict on February 12^th, following detailed arguments from the CBI and the Defence. 21 other individuals along with Kejriwal and Sisodia were also accused in the case.

The CBI had filed its first charge sheet in 2022 and subsequently submitted several supplementary charge sheets. The CBI had alleged that approximately Rs 100 crore was paid by a south lobby to influence the now-cancelled excise policy in its favour.

During arguments, the CBI contended that the alleged offence of criminal conspiracy needed to be assessed as a whole and claimed that there was sufficient material to frame charges against all the accused. However, the Court found that the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient to sustain the allegations, resulting in the acquittal of both Kejriwal and Sisodia.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED and the CBI on March 21, 2024 and June 26, 2024, respectively, in the money laundering and corruption cases.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the L-G ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.