The Delhi High Court on Monday sought responses from former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 21 others on a CBI petition challenging their discharge in the liquor policy case by a trial court.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma listed the matter for hearing on March 16 and indicated that the court would ask the trial court to defer proceedings in the connected money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

The high court also said it would pass an order staying the operation of the allegedly “prejudicial” remarks made by the trial court against CBI officials, following a request by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

Mehta urged the court to take up the matter for final disposal by setting a time-bound schedule for hearings. He argued that the trial court’s decision to discharge Kejriwal and Sisodia in the excise policy case was perverse and “turned the criminal law on its head”.

Calling the excise policy case “one of the biggest scams and clear case of corruption,” Mehta alleged that the trial court effectively passed an order of acquittal in favour of Kejriwal, Sisodia and others without a trial.

He contended that the investigating agency had gathered meticulous evidence to establish a conspiracy and bribery linked to a manipulated liquor policy. According to Mehta, there was sufficient material against Kejriwal, Sisodia and the other accused to frame charges, and the CBI’s case was backed by approvers and witnesses.

On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others, criticising the CBI and stating that its case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.

Among those given a clean chit was Telangana Jagruthi president K Kavitha.

The CBI has been investigating alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy introduced by the erstwhile AAP government in Delhi.