New Delhi [India], April 28 : Congress MP Tariq Anwar on Tuesday backed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal's decision to move the Supreme Court, stating that a litigant has the right to appeal if they harbour "doubts" about a judge's intentions.
Speaking to ANI, Anwar noted that Kejriwal retains the option to approach the apex court if the Delhi High Court does not accept his request for a recusal of the presiding judge.
"It's alright if a person has doubts about the intentions of the judge; he can appeal... He (Arvind Kejriwal) applied for it, but the High Court did not accept his request, so he now has the option to appeal at the Supreme Court..." said Anwar.
Anwar's remarks came after Kejriwal on Monday said he will not appear before the High Court in the Delhi excise policy case, citing two reasons, including alleged bias linked to ideological associations and an alleged conflict of interest involving the judge's family members.
Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed Kejriwal's plea seeking the recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the case.
In its ruling, the Court held that the allegations did not meet the legal threshold of a reasonable apprehension of bias and were based on conjecture rather than evidence.
In a video, Kejriwal said, "The first reason is that the government, with the ideology of the RSS, which put me in jail by making false allegations, the lady judge herself has admitted that she has frequently visited the stages of Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, an organisation linked to that ideology. The Aam Aadmi Party and I are staunch opponents of that ideology. In such a situation, can I get justice before her?"
"The second reason is Conflict of Interest. In the court, the central government's CBI is against me, and both children of Justice Swarnkanta ji work for the central government. Both her children are on the panel of lawyers for the central government. Opposing us in court is the Solicitor General, Shri Tushar Mehta ji. Tushar Mehta ji gives cases to both children. How many cases they will get, which cases they will get, this is decided by Tushar Mehtaji," he said.
The former Delhi Chief Minister said he has full faith in the judiciary and respects it deeply, recalling that courts granted him relief in past cases.
Kejriwal also wrote a letter to Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, expressing his decision not to participate in further proceedings in the excise policy case.
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