Delhi HC to appoint senior lawyers as Kejriwal, Sisodia boycott liquor policy case hearing

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said it will appoint three senior lawyers as amicus curiae to represent AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak after they boycotted proceedings in the liquor policy case.

Hearing the CBI’s plea challenging the discharge of the accused, a bench led by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma made it clear that the court would ensure fair representation despite the leaders’ refusal to participate in the hearing.

“I will appoint a senior in this case as amicus. On May 9, I will pass an order regarding the amicus, and then we will hear the case,” the judge said, refraining from commenting on the boycott decision.

The move follows the AAP leaders’ absence from proceedings after the court on April 20 dismissed their plea seeking Justice Sharma’s recusal. In a letter submitted earlier, Kejriwal and Sisodia stated they would neither appear “personally nor through a lawyer” and would instead follow Mahatma Gandhi’s path of Satyagraha.

The case stems from a Feb. 27 trial court order that discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others, with the court holding that the prosecution’s case failed to meet judicial scrutiny and stood discredited.

However, on March 9, the High Court paused the trial court’s recommendation for departmental action against the CBI investigating officer and flagged that certain findings at the stage of framing charges “prima facie appeared erroneous”, warranting further examination.

Subsequently, the accused sought the judge’s recusal, citing alleged conflict of interest and apprehension of bias. They argued that the judge’s children are empanelled as central government lawyers and receive assignments through the solicitor general, who represents the CBI in the matter.

Rejecting the plea, Justice Sharma underscored on April 20 that courts cannot step aside based on a litigant’s “unfounded apprehension of bias”, reaffirming the principle of judicial independence.

With the appointment of amicus curiae, the High Court has now moved to ensure the case proceeds without disruption, even as the political and legal standoff deepens.