Arvind Kejriwal argued his own case in the Delhi High Court, seeking recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. The judge praised his arguments, saying, “You argued well. Vakeel ban sakte hain aap.”
In a notable courtroom exchange at the Delhi High Court on Monday, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal personally argued his plea seeking the recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma from hearing a case related to a CBI revision petition. The hearing stood out for its candid dialogue, light moments, and the court’s observations on self-representation.
As proceedings began, Kejriwal addressed the court with respect, stating,
“Personally, I hold you in high regard, I hold the judiciary in high respect.”
Responding in a composed tone, Justice Sharma said,
“The respect is mutual. We will just concentrate on this case and argue the recusal application. Nothing personal. I am there to cooperate with you.”
Kejriwal, appearing without a lawyer, presented his arguments in both English and Hindi. He stressed that he was no longer an accused in the matter and had been “honourably discharged”. His plea focused on seeking transfer of the case away from Justice Sharma’s bench, citing concerns over perceived bias.
During the hearing, the court made it clear that since Kejriwal had chosen to argue his case himself, he must do so without assistance. When his legal team attempted to intervene, the court objected, stating,
“You are assisting him… he (Kejriwal)… is arguing very well without you… Your litigant is arguing very well.”
Kejriwal further argued that the “language used by this court” suggested a bias in handling the matter. In response, Justice Sharma directly questioned him, asking whether he was “insinuating a political bias”. Kejriwal maintained that the pace of proceedings raised concerns, stating that
“the speed at which this case is going, another case is going… there’s no other case going on at such speed. In both, prominent opposition parties to the Centre are involved.”
After completing his submissions, Kejriwal requested permission to leave the courtroom. Granting this, Justice Sharma made a light-hearted remark, saying,
“You argued well. Vakeel ban sakte hain aap.”
Kejriwal responded courteously, saying he is
“happy with what I am doing right now.”
The hearing also saw senior advocate Sanjay Hegde appearing for former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Hegde criticised investigative agencies, alleging that they were portraying AAP leaders negatively, comparing them to “Gabbar” from the classic Bollywood film Sholay. Adding a touch of humour to the courtroom,
Justice Sharma remarked,
“I wonder who I am then.”
The matter highlights ongoing legal battles involving AAP leaders and raises important questions around judicial recusal, fairness in proceedings, and the dynamics of self-representation in high-profile cases.
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