'I stand with Arvind Kejriwal': AAP leader Durgesh Pathak refuses to participate in excise case proceedings in Delhi high court

NEW DELHI: Durgesh Pathak, another AAP leader, has also decided not to participate, personally or through a lawyer, in the ongoing excise case proceedings at the Delhi high court.Pathak, like party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, has written a letter to Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma saying that he would not appear in person in the matter, according to news agency PTI."I stand with Arvind Kejriwal. I am unable to appear in this case," Pathak said.No lawyer will appear on my behalf either, the former AAP MLA added.Earlier, Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had written letters to the High Court after their plea seeking the recusal of Justice Sharma was rejected on April 20.Alleging conflict of interest, both Kejriwal and Sisodia have claimed that the judge’s children are empanelled central government lawyers who receive work through solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the CBI in the excise case.Both senior AAP leaders also visited Rajghat on Tuesday to seek the “blessings” of Mahatma Gandhi in their “Satyagraha”.