NEW DELHI, Feb 27 — A court in India’s capital, New Delhi, today discharged former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, and 21 others in the now-scrapped excise policy case, according to officials, reported Xinhua.

The special court declined to accept the chargesheet filed by India’s premier investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing insufficient evidence and significant gaps in the probe.

It ruled that the filing lacked adequate material to warrant proceeding to trial.

The court cited “misleading averments” in the chargesheet, noting that the voluminous document contained multiple gaps unsupported by evidence or witness testimony.

Investigations into the Delhi excise policy case began in August 2022, when the CBI accused the Delhi government of using the policy to benefit certain liquor dealers who had allegedly paid bribes.

The policy was later scrapped. — Bernama-Xinhua