'Not recusing': HC judge initiates contempt proceedings against Kejriwal; sends case to new bench

NEW DELHI: Delhi high court judge Swarana Kanta Sharma on Thursday said that she had decided to initiate contempt proceedings against some of the discharged accused in the excise policy case for posting "vilifying" and defamatory material against her. The court was hearing a petition filed by the CBI challenging the trial court’s decision to discharge former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case.

She further said that she wasn't recusing herself but the excise case would be heard by another bench. Earlier, she had rejected Kejriwal’s plea seeking her recusal from the Delhi excise policy case, ruling that the application did not satisfy the legal standard needed to prove a reasonable apprehension of bias.

"It has come to my notice that extremely vilifying, extremely contemptuous, and defamatory material is being posted by some of the respondents against me and against this court and I cannot stay silent. I have decided to draw contempt proceedings against some of the respondents and some other contemnors," ANI quoted the judge saying.

During the hearing, Justice Sharma observed that several senior advocates had “graciously accepted” the court’s request to appear in the matter, but said she came across material in the meantime that she considered contemptuous.

Arvind Kejriwal and other MLAs have been boycotting proceedings before Justice Sharma after she declined to recuse herself from the case despite applications alleging conflict of interest and apprehension of bias.

The trial court, on February 27, discharged Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case, ruling that the prosecution’s case could not withstand judicial scrutiny and stood entirely discredited.

Earlier, the court had decided to appoint senior advocates as amicus curiae to represent the respondents who were unrepresented, including AAP leaders Kejriwal, Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak.