High Court Sends Contempt Notices To Arvind Kejriwal In Case Against AAP Leaders

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and others in criminal contempt proceedings initiated in connection with alleged remarks and social media posts targeting a sitting judge. A division bench comprising Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja directed all respondents to file their replies within four weeks. The proceedings stem from allegations of an “orchestrated social media campaign” against Swarna Kanta Sharma, who had taken cognisance of the matter in relation to the Delhi excise policy case proceedings.

According to court records, the contempt action was triggered after Justice Sharma reviewed social media posts by Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders alleging bias on her part in handling aspects of the Delhi excise policy case. The judge had earlier noted that the allegations appeared defamatory in nature and required judicial scrutiny under contempt provisions.

The dispute is linked to the broader Delhi excise policy case, in which Kejriwal and 22 other accused were discharged by a trial court. The trial court had also made strong observations on the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) handling of the probe. However, the CBI later challenged the discharge order before the Delhi High Court, leading to continued appellate proceedings in the matter.

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Subsequently, Kejriwal, Sisodia and other accused moved applications seeking recusal of Justice Sharma, alleging apprehension of bias in the case. The judge rejected the recusal requests and later initiated contempt proceedings after the continued public criticism. Following escalating tensions, the accused parties stated they would not appear before her bench during hearings. The court thereafter transferred the CBI matter to another bench for further adjudication.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the court also directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that all respondents, including Kejriwal, Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak, are formally informed about the transfer of proceedings and given clarity on whether they intend to participate in the hearings. The AAP leaders have also been directed to file their responses to the CBI’s appeal against the discharge order by next Monday.

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