'You Attended Events Linked To BJP, RSS': Kejriwal Argues In SC Seeking Recusal Of Delhi HC Judge From CBI Case

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday appeared before the Supreme Court pleading for the recusal of Delhi High Court Judge Swarna Kanta Sharma and pointed out that he attended an event of advocates, 'Adhivakta Parishad', linked to the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

"You attended a few events of Adhivakta Parishad. This case is a political case; in fact, the SC, in its observation, has said in a functional democracy, perception matters; the CBI was called a caged parrot, and it’s important the agency dispels that," Kejriwal argued.

Stressing that the Delhi Excise Policy case was politically motivated, Kejriwal asked whether he would get justice if the judge presiding over the matter had attended an event belonging to his ideological opponents.

"The impression created in my mind is if you have gone to an event of a particular ideology, if I am from the opposite ideology, will I get justice?" he asked.

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Kejriwal is seeking the recusal of Justice Sharma from the hearing of a CBI petition challenging the trial court decision to discharge him and others.

"This court has attended events of the Adhivakta Parishad, which is aligned with an ideology; his party openly opposes that ideology, and it has created apprehension if he will get justice since this court attended the events," he further said.

Justice Sharma's court is generous to ED

In another major charge against Justice Sharma, Kejriwal said that this court endorses only what CBI and ED ask for, emphasising that the high court stayed the trial court's observation against ED, even when the agency was not a party in the case.

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"The HC stayed the order on a simple oral statement for solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the CBI," he said.

The former Delhi CM also highlighted that three orders by the high court were set aside by the Supreme Court.

"Three orders by this court were set aside by the SC. The prosecution’s case has been rejected by trial court but was accepted by this court. It was pronounced that he committed money laundering. I was almost declared guilty, I was almost declared corrupt…bas sazaa sunani baaki thi (all that was left was the punishment). Ek matter utha tha ki ED, CBI ne itni raid kari but koi recovery nahin hui (ED, CBI conducted so many raids but ended up without any recovery)," he said.