New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Rekha Gupta has said that former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is “guilty before the people of Delhi” and that the recent lower court verdict in the alleged excise policy case is not the final truth but only part of the legal process.
The Chief Minister said that the lower court’s decision was based on “lack of evidence” and should not be described as a clean chit.
She added that lack of sufficient evidence and complete innocence are two different things. According to her, the legal process is not over and the matter can go to the High Court.
Gupta said her government fully respects the judiciary and court decisions. However, she accused Kejriwal and his party of misleading the public by calling the verdict a clean chit.
She said the truth will eventually come out and urged the former Chief Minister not to “shed crocodile tears.”
Raising questions about the now-scrapped excise policy, the Chief Minister asked why the policy was withdrawn if it was so beneficial and revenue-generating.
She questioned why the government took a U-turn and returned to the old policy once the investigation began. If there was no problem in the policy, she asked, why was it cancelled?
She also questioned the increase in wholesale profit margins from five per cent to 12 per cent and asked who benefited from the change.
She said changes in the licence structure had raised serious concerns and demanded clarity on the circumstances under which these decisions were made and who the real beneficiaries were.
Gupta further claimed that during the investigation, it was found that between 160 and 170 mobile phones were changed over a period of around 200 days.
She questioned why such a large number of phones were replaced and why doubts were raised about digital records. If there was nothing to hide, she said, such situations should not have arisen.
The Chief Minister also referred to earlier observations by the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court, saying that both courts had treated the matter seriously.
She said that bail does not mean a clean chit, and that bail and acquittal are separate legal concepts.
Gupta cited a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), claiming it mentioned a potential revenue loss of thousands of crores of rupees.
She said the money belongs to the people of Delhi and that public trust is the biggest asset of any government. If that trust has been hurt, accountability must be fixed.
CM also questioned why a leader who claims to be “honest” would face allegations of avoiding investigation and ignoring summons. An honest leader, she said, should answer questions rather than avoid them.
The Chief Minister said that while the people of Delhi have already given their political verdict, the judicial process will continue. Higher courts will re-examine the evidence and facts will come out. She expressed full faith in the judicial system.
Gupta concluded by saying that respecting the law is everyone’s responsibility, but no one is above accountability. The final verdict, she said, is still awaited.
