India, March 12 -- New Delhi

Former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, along with others previously accused in an excise policy case, on Wednesday wrote to the chief justice of Delhi High Court, DK Upadhyaya, asking for a transfer of the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) plea against their discharge by a trial court to a different bench, from the currently assigned bench of justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

In a representation to Upadhyaya, Kejriwal claimed he has a "grave, bona fide, and reasonable apprehension" that the hearing in the matter would not be impartial and neutral.

On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others, pulling up the CBI by saying its...