Latest news with #KaveriBaweja
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Stuck for months, Delhi excise policy case finally moves forward
Over two-and-a-half years after it was registered, the corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam has finally moved forward. On Thursday, after months of back and forth between the prosecution and the accused, Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue court finally resolved the issue related to scrutiny of documents – the case was stuck at this stage close to a year after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completed its investigation, with 25 adjournments in the last 10 months alone. The contention was linked to some arguments, a list of which was requested by the accused from the prosecution. 'Thus, the answer to the main contention is that the notices/communications sent to others by CBI, or the responses/documents received from others cannot be claimed to be protected…even if incorporated in the case diaries, and the investigating agency may either rely upon those documents or list those documents in the list of URDs (unrelied documents) and the accused persons are entitled to a copy of the list of URDs only, and not the copies of URDs themselves. They can, however, inspect the URDs,' he said in his order dated May 22. Several accused had moved an application asking the agency to provide a complete list of 'unrelied upon' documents. Investigating agencies generally do not rely on all the documents that they have in their possession. Documents are bifurcated into two categories – 'relied upon' and 'unrelied upon'. While the former is useful to the prosecution during investigation, the latter may be helpful to the accused for defending themselves. The CBI had argued that it had provided all the 'relied upon' and 'unrelied upon' documents to the accused and that the latter were stalling the trial by moving applications. The agency had also urged the court to start arguments on the charge and stated that the accused persons could, meanwhile, inspect the documents. 'Arguments on charges will now proceed once the relied-upon digital evidence copy and the list of URDs are supplied to the accused individuals, as indicated above,' the judge added. It is only after the conclusion of arguments on charge that the trial in the case will begin. 'Let CBI incorporate such notices/communications/documents in the List of URDs, within 4 weeks, and supply a copy of the list to all the accused,' the court said. A year ago, then Special Judge Kaveri Baweja had blamed the accused for causing a delay in the trial by filing 'frivolous applications'. The court order had stated that 135 applications had been moved by 31 accused in the case. These applications were moved to get legible copies of the documents. She had directed the central probe agencies (both CBI and ED) to let the accused inspect the documents. Earlier, the contention of the accused was that they were not getting legible copies of the documents. They had also complained about the digital documents being incompatible with their devices. 'It cannot be emphasised enough that ongoing inspections of URDs by the accused do not obstruct the charge arguments, as the accused can inspect those URDs but cannot rely on any at this stage. The accused persons are free to seek appropriate remedies during the trial qua URDs,' judge Singh noted. Two cases have been registered in relation to the Delhi excise policy: one by the CBI and the other by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on alleged money laundering. Almost all top Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in the national capital were once behind bars in relation to the excise policy case, including former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. The case arose out of a report submitted by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena in July 2022, pointing to alleged procedural lapses in the formulation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The report pointed out that 'arbitrary and unilateral decisions' taken by Sisodia in his capacity as excise minister had resulted in 'financial losses to the exchequer' estimated at more than Rs 580 crore. The policy came into force in November 2021, but was scrapped in July 2022.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Delhi Police files supplementary chargesheet against ex-AAP MLA Naresh Balyan
Delhi Police on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan in a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case. The supplementary chargesheet, filed in the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, named three more persons: Sahil alias Poli, Vijay alias Kalu, and Jyoti Prakash alias Baba. According to the Delhi police, the accused persons were involved in an organised crime syndicate allegedly run by gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu. Mr. Balyan was arrested on December 4, 2024, in the alleged organised crime case. He was granted bail in an extortion case. The court posted the matter for consideration on Friday.
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja appointed Delhi HC's Registrar Vigilance
The Delhi High Court has ordered the appointment of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court, who has handled multiple important cases, including the Delhi excise policy case in which former CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, as the Registrar (Vigilance) at the High Court. 'Hon'ble the Chief Justice has been pleased to appoint Ms. Kaveri Baweja, an Officer of Delhi Higher Judicial Service, presently posted as Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI), as Registrar (Vigilance) in this Court on a deputation basis with immediate effect,' read an administrative order. Along with the excise policy case, in which she had remanded Kejriwal to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate and had denied regular bail to former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, she also heard various other siginificant matters. Among these was a 1984 anti-Sikh Riots case where she handed a life sentence to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar. Judge Baweja had also recently stayed a trial court order, directing the Delhi Police to further probe BJP leader and Delhi law minister Kapil Mishra's alleged role in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj, who exclusively heard coal 'scam' cases, has been appointed as the new Registrar General of the Delhi High Court. 'Further, Hon'ble the Chief Justice has been pleased to appoint Mr. Arun Bhardwaj, an Officer of Delhi Higher Judicial Service, presently attached to the office of Principal District & Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI), as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) on deputation basis and will be attached to the office of the Registrar General in this Court. He will take over the charge as Registrar General with effect from 01.05.2025,' read the administrative order issued by the Delhi High Court.
