New Delhi, March 16 The Delhi High Court on Monday granted time to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, and 21 others to respond to the CBI's petition challenging their discharge in the liquor policy case.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma listed the CBI's petition challenging the trial court's decision to hear the case on April 6.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the agency, said the trial court's "erroneous" order "cannot remain on record even for a second longer than necessary" and that Kejriwal and others should not be given more than a week to file their response.
He said that if the entire record of the trial court was available, a response was not necessary.
A senior lawyer representing the AAP leader informed that they had already approached the Supreme Court challenging the matter.
"I have not received any stay order yet. Until the court issues a stay order, the case must proceed," the court observed.
The senior lawyers representing the accused persons said that there was no urgency and they should be given reasonable time to file their responses.
On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia, and 21 others, criticizing the CBI by saying that its case was wholly unable to withstand judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.
The trial court ruled that the alleged conspiracy was nothing more than a speculative construct based on conjecture and surmise, devoid of any admissible evidence, and therefore, to compel the accused to face the rigors of a full-fledged criminal trial in the stark absence of any legally admissible material did not serve the ends of justice.