New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal turned emotional while addressing the media on Friday, shortly after being discharged in the Delhi excise policy case.
“I am not corrupt,” Kejriwal said, fighting back tears, as he reacted to the court’s decision to dismiss the charges against him and other accused.
For the past several years, the BJP had levelled corruption allegations against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy 2021–22. However, the Special Court at Rouse Avenue, presided over by Judge Jitendra Singh, discharged Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and 21 others, citing lack of sufficient evidence.
Speaking at a press conference, Kejriwal alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah orchestrated a conspiracy to politically target AAP. He claimed that five senior party leaders, including the then Chief Minister, were arrested as part of the alleged vendetta.
“We were branded corrupt on every television channel. Today, the court has made it clear that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and AAP are honest,” he said.
The court, in its order, observed that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient material to proceed with the case and that the allegations did not meet the legal threshold required for trial.
Welcoming the verdict, Kejriwal said that truth had ultimately prevailed and thanked his legal team and party workers for standing by him during the legal battle.
The judgment marks a significant development in the politically sensitive Delhi excise policy case, which has remained at the centre of intense political debate for over two years.
