'Evidence tampering can't be ruled out': Manish Sisodia's bail plea rejected by Delhi HC

The Delhi high court denied bail to former Manish Sisodia in a CBI case related to the alleged excise policy scam in the national capital.

The Delhi high court on Tuesday denied bail to former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the alleged excise policy scam in the national capital. A single-judge bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma pronounced the judgment, saying given the influential position, the tampering of the evidence cannot be ruled out as most of the witnesses are public servants.

The CBI had arrested Manish Sisodia for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. (PTI file )

Observing that the allegations against Sisodia are very serious in nature, the court stated that the influencing of the witnesses cannot be ruled out.

During arguments, the CBI had reportedly opposed the bail plea moved by Sisodia and stated, “The applicant (Sisodia) enjoys close nexus with the executive, offices and bureaucrats and his influence and clout is evident. His party colleagues holding high ranks continue to make factually wrong claims in order to influence the investigation and also claiming the applicant to be a victim of a political vendetta.”

A perusal of the said statements by this political leader (s) during the press conferences would reveal how the entire efforts of not only the Applicant but his party colleagues as a whole are to shield the accused, stated CBI in its reply opposing bail plea of Sisodia, the CBI said.

During the arguments earlier, Sisodia through senior advocate Dayan Krishnan submitted that the CBI has no evidence to show his involvement in the alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Government. The lawyer submitted that every accused in the CBI case has been released on bail except Sisodia.

Earlier, the Delhi HC had issued notice to CBI on a bail plea moved by Sisodia challenging a trial court order denying bail to him in a CBI case related to excise.

The CBI had arrested Sisodia for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 following several rounds of questioning.

He has challenged the March 31 order of a trial court which had dismissed Sisodia's bail plea in the matter, saying he was "prima facie the architect" of the "scam" and had played the "most important and vital role" in the criminal conspiracy related to alleged payment of advance kickbacks of ₹90-100 crore meant for him and his colleagues in the Delhi government.

He is also in custody in a related money laundering case.