New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought responses from AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and others in a criminal contempt case linked to remarks made against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
A bench of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued notices while taking note of a May 14 order, which referred to social media posts, electronic records and other published material. The court said the alleged contemnors may file their replies within four weeks. The matter will be heard next on August 4.
The controversy is connected to the Delhi excise policy case. Kejriwal, Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak had sought the recusal of Justice Sharma from hearing the CBI’s plea against a trial court order that had discharged them in the case. Justice Sharma had rejected their recusal plea on April 20.
In her order, Justice Sharma had observed that no leader could be allowed to “sow seeds of distrust” and that the plea seeking her removal from the case was like putting the judiciary itself on trial. The court later took note of social media posts, letters and videos in which the AAP leaders explained their reasons for boycotting proceedings before her.
Following the initiation of contempt proceedings, Justice Sharma directed that the excise policy matter be placed before another bench, as Kejriwal and Sisodia are accused in that case. The contempt matter is now listed before the bench of Justice Chawla and Justice Dudeja, while the CBI’s appeal in the excise policy case will be heard by Justice Manoj Jain.