News Desk: The Delhi High Court on Thursday initiated contempt proceedings against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and several senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, with Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma alleging that a sustained digital campaign had been launched to defame and intimidate the judiciary.
During the hearing, Justice Sharma observed that “extremely vilifying, extremely contemptuous and defamatory” content targeting her was being circulated online, calling it a direct assault on the dignity and independence of the judicial institution.
Delhi High Court’s Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma to shortly pronounce order on contempt action against individuals for posting defamatory and vilifying content against her on social media in relation to proceedings before her in the excise policy case. pic.twitter.com/IVyllSIFWZ
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 14, 2026
Excise Policy Case To Be Shifted
Justice Sharma announced that the Delhi excise policy case, which she had been hearing, would now be transferred to another bench. She clarified that while the contempt matter would continue before her because it involved alleged attacks on her and her family, the main liquor policy case should proceed before a different judge in the interest of judicial propriety.
“I will not take back my order on recusal, but because contempt proceedings have started, it is appropriate that the matter be transferred,” the judge remarked in court.
Court Flags ‘Coordinated Digital Campaign’
The judge said that alongside the courtroom proceedings, an external “parallel narrative” was allegedly being built through social media campaigns, edited videos and insinuations aimed at undermining the court’s credibility.
According to Justice Sharma, the online campaign was orchestrated by individuals “armed with political powers” and designed to weaken public faith in the judiciary.
She further alleged that manipulated digital content involving her family members had also been circulated online.
“My family members were dragged and vilified with edited videos… It was to intimidate not only me but the institution of judiciary,” she observed.
Kejriwal Had Earlier Boycotted Hearings
The development follows Arvind Kejriwal publicly refusing to appear before Justice Sharma in earlier hearings, alleging bias. In a post on X, Kejriwal had stated that his faith in receiving justice from the court had been shaken.
Invoking the principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Satyagraha, he had said he would neither attend the proceedings nor present arguments before the bench.
‘Silence Is Not Always Judicial Restraint’
Justice Sharma also made strong observations on the limits of judicial silence, stating that judges are trained to tolerate criticism and dissent, but there are moments when remaining silent can damage institutional credibility.
“The robe worn by a judge demands calmness… However, sometimes remaining silent is not judicial restraint. The moment has arrived today,” she said.
She added that the judiciary survives not through authority alone, but through public confidence, warning that organised attempts to erode that trust amount to one of the gravest forms of contempt.
Several AAP Leaders Named
Besides Arvind Kejriwal, the contempt proceedings also name senior AAP leaders including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Durgesh Pathak, Vinay Mishra and Devesh Vishwakarma, among others.
The court also indicated that material relating to certain YouTubers accused of circulating edited videos was being examined, and a separate order on that aspect may be issued later.
