Fresh Twist in Court Video Case: Delhi HC Judge Recuses From Hearing PIL Against Kejriwal

A fresh development has emerged in the controversy surrounding alleged circulation of court proceedings, as a judge of the Delhi High Court has recused himself from hearing a PIL seeking contempt action against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and others.

The PIL, filed by advocate Vaibhav Singh , came up for hearing on Wednesday before a bench led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia . However, during the proceedings, Justice Tejas Karia stepped aside from the matter, resulting in an unexpected pause in the hearing .

The plea seeks action against Kejriwal and several political leaders over the alleged recording and circulation of court hearing clips on social media platforms. It argues that such sharing violates court rules and could undermine the independence and dignity of the judiciary.

According to the petition, video footage from an April 13 hearing, where Kejriwal appeared before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the liquor policy case, was widely circulated online. The plea alleges that AAP leaders including Manish Sisodia , along with Congress leader Digvijay Singh , were involved in sharing or forwarding the clips .

The petitioner has termed the act intentional , alleging it was aimed at influencing public perception of court proceedings. The PIL also refers to the incident as part of a “conspiracy” and seeks contempt proceedings against all those involved , along with an SIT probe and removal of the videos from social media platforms.

With Justice Karia’s recusal, the matter is now expected to be listed before another bench at a later date, delaying the hearing on merits.

The development comes shortly after Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma refused to recuse herself from the related case, observing that “a litigant cannot judge a judge without material” , reinforcing the principle of judicial independence.

The case continues to raise wider questions on the limits of courtroom transparency and the growing influence of social media on judicial proceedings.