'Hope of getting justice shattered': Arvind Kejriwal not to appear before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in excise case, writes letter

Kejriwal and others had filed a plea against seeking her recusal from hearing the CBI’s excise policy case.

Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday declared that neither he nor his lawyer will appear before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who dismissed his plea seeking her recusal from the Delhi excise case.

Kejriwal and others had filed a plea seeking her recusal from hearing the CBI’s excise policy case.

In a letter written to Justice Sharma, the former chief minister of Delhi said, "I don't believe I will get Justice from Swarana Kanta Sharma. Hence, I have taken the decision to walk on Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps of 'Satyagraha'."

He also said that he will file an appeal in the Supreme Court against Justice Sharma's decision.

He also took to X (formerly Twitter), Kejriwal wrote, "In all humility and with complete respect for judiciary, I have written the following letter to Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma, informing her that pursuing Gandhian principles of Satyagraha, it won’t be possible for me to pursue this case in her court, either in person or through a counsel.

"I have taken this difficult decision after coming to the clear conclusion that the proceedings being conducted in her court do not, in any manner, satisfy the fundamental principle that ‘justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done’. My participation in these proceedings, either myself or through a counsel will not achieve anything meaningful."

On Monday, Justice Sharma on Monday refused to recuse herself from hearing the liquor-policy case as she rejected the pleas of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and others for her withdrawal.

She said a litigant cannot be allowed to judge a judge without any material, and judges cannot recuse themselves to satisfy a litigant's unfounded apprehension of bias.