AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, right, and party leader Manish Sisodia address a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. (Photo: Amit Mehra)While exonerating all the 23 accused in the Delhi liquor policy case, the Rouse Avenue court questioned the CBI’s decision to label a group of accused persons from southern India as the “South Group” in its chargesheet.Special Judge Jitender Singh said, “The Court considers it necessary to place on record its concern with the repeated and deliberate use of the expression ‘South Group’ by the investigating agency to describe a set of accused persons, ostensibly on the basis of their regional origin or place of residence.”“It is equally significant that no comparable regional descriptor has been employed for the remaining accused persons; the prosecution narrative does not speak of any ‘North Group’ or similar categorisation. The selective adoption of a geographically defined label is, therefore, plainly arbitrary and unwarranted,” the court said, adding, “Region-based labelling carries an avoidable undertone and is capable of creating a prejudicial impression.”The prosecution had alleged that AAP communication in charge Vijay Nair, acting on behalf of the party’s leaders, “received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 Crore from a group.” It further alleged, “For convenience, we may call it the South Group (as termed in the statements of various persons recorded during the investigation).”According to the CBI chargesheet, the South Group referred to businessmen Abhishek Boinpally, Arun Ramchandra Pillai, and chartered accountant Butchibabu Gorantla. Boinpally and Pillai were accused of facilitating the movement of the alleged kickback money of Rs 100 crore, the chargesheet had claimed. Butchibabu was accused of being the front-man of K Kavitha, who was alleged to be the main link between the South Group and AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia.The Enforcement Directorate, which did a parallel investigation, had named YSR Congress Party Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and P Sarath Chandra Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma also in the South Group.The ED had alleged that the South Group “secured uninhibited access, undue favours, attained stakes in established wholesale businesses and multiple retail zones (over and above what was allowed in the policy).” The ED also claimed that Vijay Nair acted in connivance with Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, and Sarath Reddy. The group formed a “cartel”, ED observed in its case.Story continues below this adSources close to some of the accused, who were discharged on Friday, said, “The South Group was just a figment of the CBI’s and ED’s imagination. There was no ‘cartelisation’. There was no criminal activity.”Twenty-three accused persons, including AAP convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, were discharged in the corruption case linked to the alleged excise policy “scam”. Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Hyderabad