NEW DELHI: A day after Delhi HC judge Swarana Kanta Sharma reserved orders on his recusal plea, former CM Arvind Kejriwal filed additional grounds to back his claim, arguing that the judge’s children are empanelled as lawyers with the Centre, and receive work through solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appears for CBI in the liquor policy case. In an affidavit filed in relation to his application asking Justice Sharma to withdraw from hearing the probe agency’s petition against his discharge in the liquor policy case, Kejriwal said there was a “direct conflict of interest”, which “amplified” his apprehension. He also sought more time to make oral statements.He also prayed for time to make further oral and rejoinder submissions to bolster his argument that continuing the case before justice Sharma might not carry the “full appearance of judicial detachment, independence and neutrality that the law requires.” After hearing Kejriwal in person on Monday, justice Sharma had wrapped up proceedings, saying written submissions can be filed till Wednesday afternoon by those who wish to make further points. “I state that in the present case, the learned solicitor general of India, who is appearing before this hon’ble court for the central bureau of investigation, is opposing my recusal application, and is arguing the revision petition against the discharge order passed in my favour. I respectfully state that this gives rise to a direct and serious appearance of conflict of interest. The very law officer and legal establishment representing the prosecuting side before this hon’ble court is also part of the institutional mechanism by which Central govt cases and govt work are allocated to the immediate family members of the hon’ble judge hearing the matter,” the affidavit states.It adds that in a “criminal case of this nature, where the prosecuting agency is CBI, where the Centre’s highest law officers appear against me, and where the immediate family members of the judge hold multiple live Central govt panel engagements and receive govt work through the same legal establishment and law officer, the apprehension becomesdirect, grave and impossible for me to ignore.”Kejriwal has cited documents in the public domain, including information received under RTI to allege that substantial legal work was allocated to justice Sharma’s son. “These are not nominal or honorary posts awarded by Central govt. These are continuing professional engagements under Central govt, carrying with them govt briefs, govt work, court visibility and financial benefit arising from the allocation of legal work by Centre,” the affidavit stated.“The RTI reply reported and the said social media post also mentioned that a total of 2,487 cases were marked to the son of the hon’ble justice in the year 2023; 1,784 cases in 2024 and 1,633 cases in 2025,” the affidavit submits. Kejriwal said that he learnt about these “material facts” after filing of the recusal application.In the affidavit, he submitted that when justice Sharma reserved verdict on the recusal application on April 13 after holding hearing beyond court hours, he was not given a fair and reasonable opportunity to make rejoinder submissions. Kejriwal also said during the pendency of the recusal application, the court proceeded to pass “effective” orders that closed his right to file a reply to CBI’s petition if the same was not done within a week, which aggravated his apprehension.
