![\"Excise](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130057336,imgsize-941959,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/130057336.jpg\" "\\"Arvind")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: The Delhi high court<\/a> on Monday heard the CBI<\/a>‘s plea challenging the discharge of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal<\/a> and others in the alleged excise policy case. The matter has now been listed for April 13.Kejriwal, accompanied by his wife, appeared in court and informed the bench that he intends to argue his recusal application personally. A bench of Justices Swarana Kanta Sharma heard the matter.During proceedings, the bench clarified that a petitioner could only argue in person after discharging their counsel. The bench asked Kejriwal, \u201cYou will argue your case yourself?\u201d He confirmed, \u201cI will argue this case myself. I will avail my legal rights. As of now, I have not issued my vakalatnama to anyone.Kejriwal told the court, \u201cI\u2019ve filed a recusal application. Please take it on record.\u201d Explaining procedural constraints, he added that as a petitioner representing himself, he could not e-file the application and requested the court to accept the hard copy, according to Bar and bench. \u201cI will argue this application myself and exercise my legal rights thereafter,\u201d he said.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, objected to Kejriwal arguing in person without discharging his counsel.\u201cI have no objection to him appearing personally, but he has already engaged a lawyer. Unless he discharges his counsel, he cannot argue himself\u2014if he chooses to appear, only he should represent the case going forward. This forum is not for theatrics,\u201d Mehta said.He also flagged concerns about multiple recusal applications and repeated allegations against the judiciary.\u201cSome people make a career out of making allegations. These are not just personal claims; they target an institution. This is something very serious that has happened in the capital of this country,\u201d he said, referring to the multiple recusal applications filed in the case.Kejriwal insisted that he is following the high court procedure. \u201cI filed the recusal application as per the High Court procedure. A petitioner appearing in person cannot e-file, so your lordships may kindly take it on record,\u201d he said.The court has issued notice to the CBI on Kejriwal\u2019s plea seeking the recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. The bench clarified that any other party wishing to file a recusal application may do so.<\/p>\n The excise policy case revolves around allegations of irregularities in Delhi\u2019s liquor licensing process during Kejriwal\u2019s tenure as chief minister. Several former officials, including Kejriwal, were initially discharged by the trial court, a decision challenged by the CBI.On March 11, Kejriwal and other former accused moved a representation seeking reassignment of the case to another judge, citing a “grave, bona fide and reasonable apprehension” that the hearing would not be impartial.Earlier, the high court had given Kejriwal and others a final opportunity to file their stance on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which sought to remove ‘unwarranted remarks’ made against it by the trial court while discharging the accused in the case.<\/div>\n\nBackground of the excise policy case<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n