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On February 28, 2026, several hours after a special CBI court released him from the Delhi Excise Policy case, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also had a blistering attack on former CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Gupta wrote in a social media post that he wants to say in strong words, through the press conference: Stop shedding crocodile tears. This is not a clean chit. Even the fact that the prosecution failed to prove any prima facie case at this point has seen the court release him, not necessarily because he is not guilty or that the policy was carefree. Corruption, kickbacks, and misappropriation of government money dog him and his government to a serious extent. Delhian people need truth, not theatrics.

Her comment was following a statement by Kejriwal, who got out of Rouse Avenue Courts and said that the discharge demonstrated that the whole case was a BJP-Central agency conspiracy to slander AAP. He said good-bye to his supporters and strengthened the sense that the excise policy was aimed at destroying the liquor mafia.

Gupta, who had just become the CM following the good performance of the BJP in recent Delhi civic polls and later, political back-and-forth, claimed that Kejriwal was attempting to whitewash the scandal. She indicated that some of the co-accused bureaucrats and businessmen are still on trial, and the main accusations, which included the irregularities in the allocation of licenses, the existence of quid pro quo, and the loss of money, are still not completely addressed.

It is the first instance of an acute increase of BJP-AAP hostilities under the new CM. Gupta stressed that her government would be governance-oriented, transparent, and anti-corruption-oriented instead of defending the historic errors. She further suggested that she may look into old policy decisions and tighten her belt over the excise and revenue departments.

Political analysts see the remark by Gupta of shedding crocodile tears as an effort to create the impression of decisiveness and break the links with controversies in the AAP age by the new administration. It has already been dubbed by Kejriwal supporters as an assault on democracy, and BJP supporters cheered her on for her stance, pointing out the hypocrisy.

CBI/ED can still appeal the discharge order to the higher courts. With the war of words on the rise, the battle has changed to be centered on the legal closure to a new round of political slugfests before the coming state elections.