In a stunning legal and political reversal, a Delhi court on Friday acquitted former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former deputy Manish Sisodia, and 21 other accused in the corruption case surrounding the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22, delivering a significant blow to the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) prosecution.

The Rouse Avenue Court, in its judgement, delivered a clean chit to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership, ruling that the framing of the policy did not constitute a criminal act.

"There was no overarching conspiracy or criminal intent in the excise policy," the court observed in its order, dismantling the core premise of the investigation that had rattled the Delhi government and led to the arrest of its top functionaries.

The verdict brings a formal close to a high-voltage legal saga that began in July 2022 when the Delhi Chief Secretary reported alleged gross violations in the new excise regime. The AAP government had introduced the policy in November 2021, aiming to overhaul the liquor vending system and boost revenue, but it quickly became a political flashpoint.

Following the Chief Secretary's complaint, then Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a CBI probe on July 22, 2022. The investigation rapidly escalated; by August 2022, the CBI had raided Sisodia, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a parallel money laundering case. What followed was a protracted legal battle that saw the AAP’s top brass behind bars.

Key AAP leaders, including Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and former minister Satyendar Jain, were arrested in 2023. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in March 2024 after skipping multiple summonses. He was later taken into custody by the CBI in a separate corruption case in June 2024, even as he remained incarcerated.

The legal turmoil exacted a heavy political toll. Kejriwal, who had served time in Tihar Jail, was forced to resign as Chief Minister. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) weaponised the allegations relentlessly during the recent Delhi Assembly elections. The campaign narrative, dominated by the corruption charges, contributed to a historic defeat for the AAP, ending its decade-long rule in the national capital and bringing the BJP back to power.

Friday's acquittal, however, comprehensively rejects the allegations of corruption. While Kejriwal and Sisodia had secured bail last year — with the Supreme Court in September 2024 criticising the prolonged incarceration without trial — today’s judgement fully exonerates them of all charges in the CBI's corruption case.

The timeline of key events in the case is as follows:

* November 2021: Delhi government implements the new excise policy.

* July 8, 2022: The Delhi Chief Secretary reports "gross violations" in the policy's implementation.

* July 22, 2022: The Lieutenant Governor recommends a CBI probe.

* August 19, 2022: CBI raids Manish Sisodia and others.

* August 22, 2022: ED registers a money laundering case linked to the policy.

* September 2022: AAP's communications head, Vijay Nair, is arrested by the CBI.

* March 2023: Manish Sisodia is arrested by the ED.

* October 2023: AAP MP Sanjay Singh is arrested by the ED.

* March 16, 2024: BRS leader K. Kavitha is arrested by the ED.

* March 21, 2024: Arvind Kejriwal is arrested by the ED after the Delhi High Court refuses to grant him protection.

* May 10 - June 2, 2024: Kejriwal is out on interim bail from the Supreme Court to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.

* June 20, 2024: A trial court grants Kejriwal regular bail, but the Delhi High Court stays the order.

* June 26, 2024: Kejriwal is formally arrested by the CBI in the corruption case while still in custody.

* September 13, 2024: The Supreme Court grants Kejriwal bail in the CBI case, citing his right to liberty.

* February 27, 2026: A Delhi court acquits all accused, ruling there was no criminal intent or conspiracy.

The judgement effectively invalidates the central allegations that had not only put the AAP leaders behind bars but also reshaped Delhi's political landscape, marking a decisive legal victory for Kejriwal and his party after years of intense scrutiny.