Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has affirmed his commitment to cooperating fully with judicial proceedings following a notice issued by the Delhi High Court in the high-profile Delhi excise policy case. Speaking to reporters in Jammu on March 10, 2026, Sisodia stated, "Whatever the processes of the court, we respect the court and will follow all legal processes." His response came after the high court, on March 9, issued notices to him, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and 21 other accused in response to a revision petition by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging their discharge by a trial court.

The notices stem from a February 27, 2026, order by Special Judge Jitender Singh at Rouse Avenue Courts, which discharged all 23 accused—including Kejriwal, Sisodia, and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha—in the CBI's corruption FIR related to the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. The trial court had ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case of criminal conspiracy or corruption, describing the CBI's evidence as based on "mere conjecture" and criticizing investigative shortcomings. In its challenge, the CBI termed the discharge order "perverse," "patently illegal," and argued it effectively amounted to an acquittal without trial, while seeking to expunge adverse remarks made against its investigating officer.

A single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma not only issued notices requiring responses from the accused but also stayed the trial court's "prejudicial" and "erroneous" observations against the CBI officer, describing some as "foundationally misconceived." The court further indicated it may direct the trial court to defer proceedings in the linked Enforcement Directorate (ED) money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act until the CBI plea is resolved. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on March 16, 2026.

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The excise policy controversy, which surfaced in 2022, alleges irregularities, favoritism toward select licensees, and alleged kickbacks in the formulation and rollout of Delhi's liquor retail reform policy, which was later withdrawn amid backlash. The CBI and ED investigations have previously resulted in arrests and chargesheets, but the trial court's discharge provided significant relief to the accused AAP figures. Sisodia's statement reflects a strategy of emphasizing respect for the judiciary while contesting the allegations as politically motivated.

This renewed legal development revives scrutiny over the probe's evidentiary basis and potential political dimensions, with the AAP maintaining the case was fabricated to target opposition leaders. The high court's intervention could influence the trajectory of both the CBI corruption probe and the parallel ED case, as proceedings in related matters remain paused pending resolution.

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