New Delhi, February 27 A Delhi court on Friday acquitted former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, Telangana Jagruthi president K Kavitha, and 20 others in a liquor policy case.
The following is the chronology of events in the excise policy-linked corruption case:
- November 2021: The Delhi government introduces a new excise policy.
- July 2022: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommends a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the policy.
- August 2022: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) register cases in connection with the alleged irregularities.
- September 2022: The Delhi government scraps the excise policy.
- October 2023 to March 2024: The ED issues nine summons to Kejriwal in connection with the money laundering case.
- March 21, 2024: The Delhi High Court refuses to grant protection from arrest to Kejriwal on his petition challenging the summonses issued to him. The ED subsequently arrests the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.
- May 10, 2024: The Supreme Court grants interim bail to Kejriwal until June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls, stating that he will have to surrender and return to jail on June 2.
- June 20, 2024: The trial court grants regular bail to Kejriwal.
- June 21, 2024: The ED moves the high court challenging the trial court’s bail order. The high court issues a notice on the agency’s plea, suspending the bail order pending a decision on the stay.
- June 25, 2024: The high court stays the bail granted to Kejriwal by the trial court in the money laundering case.
- June 26, 2024: CBI formally arrests Kejriwal from jail in a corruption case related to the excise policy.
- May 17, 2024: Supreme Court reserves its verdict on Kejriwal’s plea challenging the legality of his arrest.
- July 12, 2024: Supreme Court grants interim bail to Kejriwal in money laundering case lodged by the ED in the alleged excise policy ‘scam’. However, he will remain in jail in the CBI case.
- July 17, 2024: Kejriwal challenges in Delhi High Court his arrest by the CBI in a corruption case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam.
- Aug 5, 2024: Delhi High Court upholds Kejriwal’s arrest by CBI in the corruption case.
- Aug 12, 2024: Kejriwal moves Supreme Court against Delhi HC order upholding his arrest by the CBI in the corruption case.
- Aug 14, 2024: SC issues notice to CBI on plea by Kejriwal against his arrest in excise policy scam case.
- Sep 5, 2024: SC reserves order on Kejriwal’s pleas for bail, against arrest by CBI.
- Sep 11, 2024: Delhi court extends the judicial custody of Kejriwal till September 25 in excise scam case.
- Sep 13, 2024: SC grants bail to Kejriwal, stating that prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty.
- Feb 12, 2026: Delhi court reserved its order on charge.
- Feb 27: Delhi court acquits Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the case.