The Delhi High Court has directed the police to remove all unauthorised videos circulating on social media that show Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and former Chief Minister, arguing before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. The videos pertain to Kejriwal’s appearance in person on 13 April 2026, during his plea seeking the judge’s recusal from the Delhi Excise Policy case. The court’s order follows concerns over the unauthorised recording and dissemination of court proceedings.
According to Bar and Bench, the High Court confirmed that unauthorised recording of court proceedings is not permitted under its rules for online hearings. An official stated that action is being taken against all individuals who recorded and uploaded such videos, and that similar steps have been taken in previous instances of unauthorised publication.
As reported by Siasat, registry officials indicated that the removal order was issued in response to a complaint alleging that several political leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, intentionally recorded and circulated the proceedings in violation of the Delhi High Court Rules for Video Conferencing and the Electronic Evidence and Video Conferencing Rules, 2025.
Further details show that the complaint, filed by Advocate Vaibhav Singh, named Kejriwal, other AAP leaders, and journalist Ravish Kumar, alleging that the recordings were shared widely on platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The complaint requested a detailed inquiry and action against those responsible for the unauthorised circulation.
The High Court’s rules explicitly prohibit any recording or publication of court proceedings without authorisation, and officials reiterated that the judiciary has consistently acted to protect the integrity of its processes as coverage revealed.
"We have taken steps. It [Kejriwal video] is one of the videos. In the past also we have taken action, and whenever such instances come to our knowledge, we write to them [law enforcement agencies] to take action," an official stated.
During the 13 April hearing, Kejriwal argued his application for recusal for over an hour. The case concerns the Central Bureau of Investigation’s challenge to the trial court’s discharge of Kejriwal and other accused in the excise policy matter. The CBI’s case, registered in 2022, alleges manipulation of the Delhi Excise Policy to benefit certain parties as analysis showed.
After the hearing, the videos of Kejriwal’s arguments went viral, prompting the High Court’s intervention. The registry’s response included a reminder that the court’s video conferencing rules are binding and that violations will result in appropriate action as details emerged.
The complaint also alleged that the widespread sharing of the recordings was part of a deliberate attempt to influence public perception of the judiciary. The High Court has reserved its verdict on Kejriwal’s recusal plea and directed parties to submit written arguments within the prescribed timeline following reports.
"It is requested to set up a detailed inquiry into this matter and take appropriate action against all the persons/political parties for wilfully and deliberately disobeying the rules," the complaint stated.
In related developments, Kejriwal’s affidavit seeking recusal cited the empanelment of Justice Sharma’s children as central government counsel, arguing that this created a reasonable apprehension of bias. The CBI, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, opposed the recusal plea and urged the court to maintain institutional respect as reporting indicated.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.