2 min readUpdated: Feb 27, 2026 11:28 AM ISTArvind Kejriwal breaks down while addressing the media after the court’s decision in the excise policy case. (ANI Video grab)A Delhi trial court Friday discharged former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia, along with 21 others, in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s case in the alleged liquor policy scam.The case arose out of a report submitted in July 2022 by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena, pointing to alleged procedural lapses in the formulation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.The report said “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. It alleged that “kickbacks… received by the AAP Delhi government and AAP leaders” from owners and operators of alcohol businesses for preferential treatment such as discounts and extensions in licence fee, waiver on penalties and relief due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, etc. were used to “influence” the Assembly elections held in Punjab and Goa in early 2022.The policy came into force in November 2021, but was scrapped in July 2022.Two cases were registered in relation to the Delhi excise policy: one by the CBI, and the other, on alleged money laundering, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).Almost all top Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in the capital were once behind bars in relation to the excise policy case, including Kejriwal, Sisodia, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.While the CBI case goes, the ED case still remains.Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey. 2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd