After Kejriwal and Sisodia, AAP’s Durgesh Pathak refuses to appear before Delhi HC judge

Aam Aadmi Party leader Durgesh Pathak on Tuesday told Delhi High Court Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma that he will not participate personally or through a counsel before her in the proceedings related to the liquor policy case.

On Monday, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said that he would not appear before Sharma. A day later, party leader Manish Sisodia also told Sharma that he would not appear before her in the liquor policy case.

The judge is hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation’s challenge to a trial court order discharging the former chief minister, Sisodia, Pathak and several others in the case. On April 20, Sharma rejected a petition filed by the AAP leaders that she recuse herself from hearing the case.

Their petition had raised concerns about “perceived ideological proximity”, referring to Sharma attending an event of an organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The RSS is the parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Kejriwal also argued before Sharma that she had repeatedly passed orders in favour of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in the liquor policy case.

In his letter on Tuesday, Pathak said that he agreed with the concerns raised by Kejriwal.

“Accordingly, I too have resolved not to participate further in the present proceedings, either personally or through legal representation,” Pathak said, adding that...

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