In a landmark legal victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a Special CBI Court in Delhi has discharged former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former deputy Manish Sisodia, and 21 others in the high-profile excise policy corruption case. On February 27, 2026, Special Judge Jitendra Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court delivered a scathing 598-page order, ruling that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to provide any “cogent evidence” to support its claims of a criminal conspiracy. The court observed that the prosecution’s case was built on “conjecture” rather than concrete facts, noting significant gaps and internal contradictions in the voluminous chargesheets filed by the agency. The judge emphasized that the formulation of the 2021–22 excise policy was an institutional process involving multiple stakeholders and showed no signs of an “overarching conspiracy” or criminal intent.
The verdict brought an emotional end to a years-long legal battle that saw both Kejriwal and Sisodia serve significant time in Tihar Jail. Upon hearing the judgment, a visibly moved Arvind Kejriwal broke down in tears outside the courtroom, embracing Manish Sisodia and declaring, “Truth has won.” He described the case as the “biggest political conspiracy in independent India,” designed to dismantle his party and tarnish his reputation. The court notably criticized the CBI’s investigative tactics, particularly its reliance on “approver statements” to fill evidentiary holes, and even recommended a departmental inquiry against certain investigating officers for their conduct. While the discharge applies to the CBI’s corruption case, the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) parallel money laundering probe is still being monitored, though AAP leaders hail this as a complete vindication of their “Kattar Imaandaar” (staunchly honest) image.
The political fallout of this acquittal is expected to be massive, especially given the timing ahead of key state elections in Punjab and Gujarat. Following the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, where the BJP’s Rekha Gupta succeeded Kejriwal as Chief Minister, the AAP had been struggling to reclaim its public image amidst the corruption allegations. This “clean chit” from the court provides the party with a powerful narrative of resilience and victimhood. Meanwhile, the CBI has announced its intention to immediately appeal the decision in the Delhi High Court, arguing that the trial court ignored critical aspects of the investigation. For now, however, the discharge remains a historic moment for the Delhi political landscape, reaffirming the judiciary’s role in scrutinizing the evidence provided by federal agencies.
