Delhi excise case: Durgesh Pathak joins AAP's court boycott before Justice Sharma
Synopsis
Three senior AAP leaders — Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and now Durgesh Pathak — have formally refused to participate in Delhi liquor policy case proceedings before Justice Swarnakanta Sharma, invoking Gandhian Satyagraha and citing a crisis of judicial confidence in a move that blurs the line between legal strategy and political theatre.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Durgesh Pathak on Wednesday, 29 April announced he would not participate in the ongoing legal proceedings in the alleged Delhi liquor policy case before Justice Swarnakanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court, aligning himself with senior party colleagues who have expressed a loss of confidence in the current proceedings. The move signals a coordinated legal and political stance by AAP's top leadership in one of the most closely watched cases in Indian politics.
What Pathak Said
In a post on X, Pathak invoked the principle that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. He wrote that he had formally written to Justice Swarnakanta Sharma, stating he would not appear before her — either personally or through a lawyer — joining former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in this position.
In his letter, Pathak stated:
