The Delhi High Court has termed the observations made by a trial court in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the scrapped Delhi excise policy as 'prima facie erroneous'.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued a notice in the CBI's appeal and stayed the trial court's order directing departmental action against the investigating officer and observations against him.
The court also requested the trial court to defer the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering case that had stemmed from the CBI case, awaiting the outcome of the CBI's appeal against the February 27 verdict.
The trial court had discharged former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and 22 others, concluding that the CBI's material did not even disclose a prima facie case, let alone a grave suspicion.
The CBI had alleged kickbacks were paid in the excise policy, which was rolled out for the 2021-22 financial year but was scrapped after an investigation was ordered.
The AAP denied wrongdoing and accused the BJP-led Union government of targeting political rivals.
The CBI filed five chargesheets, while the ED investigated related money-laundering allegations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
