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Delhi judge rejects Manish Sisodia’s bail application in CBI case
A second bail application filed by the former deputy chief minister and senior AAP leader, Manish Sisodia, in connection with a related money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is listed for hearing on April 5.
NEW DELHI: A Delhi special court on Friday rejected former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s request for release on bail in the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
A second bail application filed by the senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in connection with a related money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is listed for hearing on April 5.
Special judge MK Nagpal’s order denying bail to Sisodia came after lawyer DP Singh, appearing for CBI, argued that Sisodia may not be a flight risk but could destroy evidence and can threaten witnesses.
Senior lawyers Dayan Krishnan and Mohit Mathur, appearing for Sisodia, rebutted the CBI charge and underlined that all the other accused in the case including two public servants were already granted bail. It was also submitted that Sisodia’s wife is suffering from multiple sclerosis and needs constant care and support.
Sisodia’s lawyers also stressed that nothing had come out of his custodial interrogation that could justify his further custody. It was also argued that there was no material to allege that he will influence witnesses.
Sisodia is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in judicial custody. The former excise minister was initially arrested by CBI on February 26 in connection with the liquor policy case. He was then sent to Tihar Jail by the Rouse Avenue court from where he was arrested by ED after a nine-hour-long interrogation on March 9. After his ED custody ended, a Delhi court sent him back to Tihar Jail on March 22.
The controversial liquor policy was rolled out in November 2021, marking the exit of the government from retail sales of alcohol. The objective, the government said, was to improve the buying experience by allowing market competition to raise standards.
The policy was scrapped in August 2022, soon after LG VK Saxena sought an investigation.
