New Delhi: Delhi High Court Monday listed for hearing on Nov 16 a criminal contempt proceeding against AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal , Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and others over “vilifying” social media posts against its judge, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
The court also listed on Nov 16 a separate contempt petition by lawyer Ashok Chaitanya against Kejriwal and others, including AAP’s Gopal Rai and journalist Saurav Das, for allegedly being part of an “orchestrated social media campaign” against Justice Sharma.
On May 19, the court had issued notice to Kejriwal and other politicians on a suo motu contempt case initiated against them by Justice Sharma and had granted them four weeks to file their response. On Feb 27, a trial court had discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others in the liquor policy case, as it ruled that the case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.
In the contempt order, the judge had asserted that the ex-CM “orchestrated a calculated campaign of vilification” against her on social media instead of pursuing his legal remedies, and clarified that CBI ’s petition against the discharge of all accused persons in the excise policy case would be taken up by another bench. It appointed senior advocate Rajdipa Behura as amicus curiae.