The Delhi High Court has scheduled a November 16 hearing for criminal contempt proceedings involving former CM Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders. The matter relates to allegations of an organized social media campaign against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma following excise policy rulings. This case, involving senior political figures, remains a point of institutional focus while the legal process continues.
The Delhi High Court has scheduled a criminal contempt hearing for November 16 involving former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders. The court has granted these individuals four weeks to submit their formal responses to the allegations. This legal development follows a court-initiated action regarding an alleged coordinated social media campaign that targeted Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
The contempt proceedings began after the court identified multiple social media posts that questioned the impartiality of Justice Sharma following her rulings in the excise policy case. The court has highlighted specific content, including an edited video clip, as evidence that the respondents attempted to create a narrative outside the courtroom to potentially undermine judicial integrity.
In addition to the court-initiated case, a separate contempt petition filed by advocate Ashok Chaitanya is also scheduled for hearing on November 16. This petition expands the legal scope to include additional party members such as Gopal Rai and journalist Saurav Das, citing similar concerns about an organized online campaign.
During the recent procedural session, the court registry was directed to provide the legal teams for the former Chief Minister and others with all necessary case documents. This follows a request from the defense, which stated that the initial evidence provided was insufficient to prepare a complete response. The court has also appointed senior advocate Rajdipa Behura as an amicus curiae, an independent legal assistant to the court, to help manage the proceedings as the legal battle over the excise policy case continues to draw attention.
For investors and market observers, these legal developments are monitored for their impact on governance and the stability of the political landscape. The next significant date for these proceedings is November 16, when the court will review the submissions and hear arguments regarding both pending petitions.