New Delhi:
Days after refusing to recuse herself from hearing a CBI petition against Arvind Kejriwal and others in the liquor policy case, Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Thursday said the plea would now be heard by another bench. The judge, who initiated contempt proceedings against Kejriwal and other top AAP leaders after making scorching remarks against them, made it clear that her action shouldn’t be construed as allowing the party chief’s plea for recusal.
Justice Sharma said the excise policy case will be heard by another bench, clarifying that since she has initiated contempt proceedings, it is appropriate that the matter be transferred to some other judge.
“For a judge who is being targeted is a very lonely battle…This is not recusal. This is judicial discipline,” Justice Sharma observed.
Kejriwal, one of the prime accused in the liquor policy case, had sought the judge’s recusal because she had allegedly taken part in events linked to the RSS. He further cited past orders of the high court in the same case, rejecting bail pleas which he said were later turned over by the Supreme Court.
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