Arvind Kejriwal cried on Friday. Not the defiant, chin-up kind of political emotion. Not the angry, attacking press conference tears of 2015. These were different — a release after two years of pressure, prison, resignation and relentless political assault. On February 27, 2026, a Delhi court discharged him and Manish Sisodia in the controversial liquor policy case, refusing to take cognisance of the CBI’s chargesheet. Special Judge Jitendra Singh pointed to gaps and the absence of cogent evidence. Twenty-one others walked free too. The court also rapped the agency for building its case through approver statements.
“If such conduct is allowed, it would be a grave violation of the constitutional principles. The conduct where an accused is granted pardon and then made an approver, his statements used to fill the gaps in the investigation/narrative and make additional people accused is wrong,” the court said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70pS8m3xXSg&t=2sFor Arvind Kejriwal, this was vindication. “Biggest political conspiracy in independent India,” he said, voice breaking. “I am Kattar Imaandar,” he said, finally breaking down, and cameras were quick to capture the moment.
“Satyamev Jayate”, said AAP, claiming the win (which isn’t final yet). Minutes later, the CBI announced it would “immediately” move the Delhi High Court. And just like that, the victory acquired a rider.
Relief, Yes. Closure? No
Let’s understand what rally happened — and also what did not. The court has not acquitted Arvind Kejriwal after a full trial. It has said the chargesheet, as filed, does not justify proceeding. Yes, and that is a big judicial setback for the Central Bureau of India.
But this order is legally reversible. If the High Court disagrees, the case reopens. The political uncertainty continues.
This means AAP chief Kejriwal’s clean-chit moment sits under a legal cloud. The Damage Is Already Done
Even if the discharge stands, the cost has been enormous.
Arvind Kejriwal became the first sitting Delhi chief minister to be arrested on March 21, 2024. He resigned. He spent months in jail in phases. His no. 2 in the Delhi government, Manish Sisodia also spent 17 months behind bars. For a party born out of the anti-corruption movement, that imagery cut deep.
The Aam Aadmi Party, once seen as a relevant opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was decimated in polls, its national expansion stalled. Its moral high ground was dented. The BJP successfully reframed the narrative from governance to graft. For nearly two years, every Kejriwal speech began with the shadow of the excise case. You cannot rewind that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMmbVaFp-Fk
The Political Optics — Double-Edged
Yes, this gives Arvind Kejriwal enough ammunition to rebut the opposition. He can now say, ‘Look, the court found no cogent evidence.’ He can frame himself as a political target. His base, which has been relying on the outsider-versus-establishment narrative, will feel vindicated. But swing voters are less emotional.
They remember headlines, arrests, jail time. In politics, perception lingers longer than procedure. A discharge does not erase two years of suspicion from the public mind. And the CBI appeal ensures the issue won’t disappear during the next election cycle.
The Emotional Moment
There was something telling about Kejriwal breaking down.
Who we saw today didn’t seem like the combative administrator of Delhi, who took on PM Modi on several occasions. This was a leader who has seen the inside of Tihar, resigned from office, watched colleagues jailed, and fought a case that threatened to define his legacy.
