Delhi Court Judge Jitendra Singh Criticises CBI Over ‘South Group’ Tag
Hyderabad: A special court at Rouse Avenue has criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for referring to certain accused as the “South Group” in its chargesheets in the Delhi excise policy case.
Special Judge Jitendra Singh questioned why the agency did not similarly label other accused as the “North Group”. He said assigning regional tags to a few accused was concerning and contrary to the constitutional principle that all are equal before the law.
“Referring to some accused as ‘South Group’ based on their regional origins or places of residence is a matter of concern. That is why it has been specifically mentioned in this order,” the judge said.
He added that placing a regional label only on certain accused was one-sided and undesirable, and implicitly conveyed innuendo.
Court says language must remain neutral and evidence-based
The judge observed that criminal proceedings must remain impartial, based on evidence and free from external influences. He said the repeated use of the term “South Group” in successive chargesheets compelled the court to address the issue.
However, he clarified that merely referring to the term in the order should not be construed as the court endorsing or approving it.
“Where race, nationality or region has no nexus with the alleged offence, such labels must not be used. Such tagging can undermine judicial impartiality,” the judge noted.
After being discharged in the #DelhiExcisePolicy case, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal [#ArvindKejriwal] launched a sharp political attack on the #BJP top leadership:
“Agencies like #ED and #CBI were weaponised against him”
“Plotted Conspiracy of Fake Liquor Scam to… pic.twitter.com/GFfSCPCOwp
— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) February 27, 2026
He further said that persistent use of such terminology could directly affect the fairness of criminal proceedings and the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The court advised the investigating agency to exercise caution in future and maintain restraint in the language used in chargesheets. Details relating to accused persons, it said, must be neutral and based strictly on evidence, without attributing stigma, provoking divisions or creating prejudice.
