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Probe into Sisodia’s role complete, CBI tells Delhi court
The agency’s submission came after Sisodia’s lawyer sought a copy of the supplementary charge sheet filed against him
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday told a Delhi court that the investigation in senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia’s role in the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the now scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy is complete, even as the agency said that its probe into the larger conspiracy in the case was ongoing.
The agency’s submission came after Sisodia’s lawyer sought a copy of the supplementary charge sheet filed against him to verify whether the investigation regarding Sisodia is pending or not, while reserving his right to argue default bail.
When the court sought the status of the investigation in the case, the agency said it has completed investigation into Manish Sisodia’s role in the case.
Earlier, while allowing supply of a copy of the supplementary charge sheet to Sisodia, the court extended his judicial custody till May 12.
The CBI had on April 25 filed the first supplementary chargesheet in the case, naming the former Delhi deputy chief minister as an accused in the matter.
Advocate Rishikesh, appearing for Sisodia, while citing a recent judgment of the Supreme Court, argued that if the investigation regarding Sisodia is not complete and a charge sheet has been filed against him then he would be liable to get default bail in the case.
Sisodia’s counsel relied upon the judgment passed by Supreme Court on Wednesday in the case of Ritu Chhabaria vs Union of India where the top court had held that the fundamental right of an accused to get default bail cannot be scuttled by probe agencies by filing supplementary charge sheets in cases where a probe is yet to be completed.
He further argued that prima facie it seems that the federal agency has said that investigation regarding Sisodia is still pending. It was also pointed out before the court that Sisodia’s bail in the CBI case is currently being argued before the Delhi high court and arguments regarding his right to default bail may also be raised before the high court.
Sisodia was arrested by CBI in the case on February 26. He was also arrested in allegations of money laundering in the same case by the Enforcement Directorate on March 9. Sisodia is currently lodged in the Tihar Jail.
Meanwhile, opposing Sisodia’s bail petition in the Delhi high court on Thursday, CBI argued that witnesses have categorically confirmed his role in manipulating the liquor policy.
“The fake public approval was manufactured at his (Sisodia’s) instance to deviate from the expert committee report,” the CBI told justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma.
Citing the statement of a witness, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the CBI, told the court that an expert committee headed by Ravi Dhawan, former excise commissioner, to check the feasibility of the now-scrapped excise policy had given its report. However, since the suggestions were not palatable with the accused, Sisodia did not approve the report.
The matter would now continue on May 9.
The Delhi government’s 2021-22 excise policy aimed to revitalise the city’s flagging liquor business. It aimed to replace a sales-volume based regime with a license fee one for traders, and promised swankier stores, free of the infamous metal grilles, ultimately giving customers a better buying experience. The policy also introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor, a first for Delhi.
The plan, however, came to an abrupt end, with Delhi’s lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommending a probe into alleged irregularities in the regime. This ultimately resulted in the policy being scrapped prematurely and being replaced by the 2020-21 regime, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleging that Saxena’s predecessor sabotaged the move with a few last-minute changes that resulted in lower-than-expected revenues.
