Why court freed Arvind Kejriwal, K Kavitha, Sisodia: Read the complete order here

A Delhi court on Friday discharged fromer Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, K Kavitha and 20 others in the alleged liquor policy scam case, delivering a scathing indictment of the probe conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

In a sharply worded 598-page order, Special Judge Jitendra Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts pulled up the agency for what he described as glaring investigative lapses, weak evidentiary links, and a failure to establish even a basic chain of criminality.

Read the full judgement here

According to the order, the prosecution could not produce any material indicating that Kejriwal, listed as accused no. 18, either received illegal gratification or facilitated the movement of bribe money. The court noted that the allegations rested almost entirely on statements made by co-accused persons or prosecution witnesses, with no independent corroboration to substantiate claims of a wider conspiracy.

The judge observed that public policy decisions, even if controversial or politically contested, do not automatically imply criminal intent. Unless supported by evidence demonstrating a dishonest motive or a clear quid pro quo, such decisions cannot be stretched into the realm of criminal liability.