The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday described Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal’s discharge in the excise policy case as a “slap” on political vendetta and demanded action against those who allegedly fabricated charges against the former Delhi chief minister.
In a strongly worded editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed the case was politically motivated and alleged that BJP leaders, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and central probe agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) acted in tandem to destabilise the AAP government.
A Delhi court on Friday discharged Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the excise policy case. The court observed that it did not find any overarching conspiracy or criminal intent in the policy and criticised the CBI for failing to substantiate its allegations.
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, and later by the CBI, had spent 155 days in jail before being granted bail.
The Sena (UBT) editorial termed the verdict a significant setback to what it called a “politically driven prosecution,” asserting that the charges lacked merit and that no criminal conspiracy had been established. It alleged that raids and arrests were carried out to portray the AAP government as corrupt ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.
The party further claimed that central agencies had tightened a “noose” around Kejriwal, Sisodia and other ministers, and said the court’s decision had now exposed weaknesses in the case.
The editorial demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah apologise to Kejriwal and called for action against officials involved in the investigation. It also alleged that central agencies have been misused over the past decade to target political opponents.
Referring to Maharashtra, the party cited cases involving leaders such as Chhagan Bhujbal, Anil Deshmukh, Nawab Malik and Sanjay Raut, claiming that prolonged incarcerations and investigations were used as political pressure tactics.
The Sena (UBT) also criticised the judiciary, alleging that it had failed to adequately curb what it described as excesses by central agencies and violations of democratic norms.
