Why was excise policy 2021-22, rolled back, asks Delhi HC

Delhi high court asks former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to explain why he withdrew the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The Delhi high court on Thursday asked former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to explain why he chose to withdraw the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 if it was as good as the it was as good as the Delhi government claimed.

The judge asked Sisodia’s counsel to get a reply to his query. (File)

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma made the remark while hearing the bail plea of Vijay Nair, a co-accused in a money laundering case arising from an alleged scam into the policy, and asked Sisodia’s counsel to get a reply to his query.

“If policy is so good, why did you withdraw it? Get a definitive reply for this,” said the judge.

Sisodia’s counsel submitted that the policy was rolled back after the Delhi lieutenant governor did not let liquor vends to open in “non-conforming” zones, leading to losses. He said the vends were allowed to operate in such areas under the earlier policy, which was in place for 10 years.

Additional solicitor general SV Raju, who appeared for ED, however, claimed the policy was withdrawn because the wrongdoings of the accused had been “exposed”.

During the hearing, the counsel for ED and Sisodia, who is an accused in the case and is currently in judicial custody, told the court that fresh pleas have been filed on behalf of the former deputy chief minister seeking interim bail on account of the deteriorating health of his wife, which are likely to come up for hearing on Friday.

Separately, a city court on Thursday ordered the preservation of CCTV footage at Rouse Avenue court from May 23, after Sisodia moved an application alleging that security personnel had misbehaved with him inside the court premises.

The Delhi Police also moved an application before the court seeking its permission to produce Sisodia only via video conferencing, adding that producing him physically creates chaos, with AAP supporters and media persons gathering in the corridors of the court.