Sisodia’s custody extended by 14 days in excise case in Delhi

On Monday, the former Delhi deputy chief minister was produced before the judge through video conferencing, since he is presently in the custody of ED in the money laundering case

A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia for 14 more days in connection with a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

CBI arrested Manish Sisodia after an eight-hour long interrogation on February 26. (PTI)

CBI arrested Sisodia after an eight-hour long interrogation on February 26. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue court on February 27 and remanded to CBI custody for five days. CBI, during the hearing, alleged that specific verbal and documentary evidence had surfaced in the case, proving that Sisodia played a key role in framing the policy. Sisodia on March 3 moved an application seeking bail in the case registered by CBI, which is listed for hearing before special judge MK Nagpal on March 21. On March 4, the court extended Sisodia’s CBI custody for two days. He was then sent to Tihar Jail.

On Monday, Sisodia was produced before the judge through video conferencing, since he is presently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI probe.

ED arrested Sisodia on March 9 while he was already in Tihar Jail in connection with the CBI case. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue court on March 10 and remanded to ED custody for seven days. The ED, during a hearing on Friday, sought a seven-day extension of Sisodia’s custody, but the court granted it five days till March 22.

ED has alleged that Sisodia was instrumental not only in the framing and implementation of the policy but also in the generation of proceeds of crime and recoupment of kickbacks. ED also alleged that he had incorporated certain clauses for the benefit of the alleged “South Group” and had destroyed digital evidence.

Sisodia has rejected all charges and termed the case politically motivated.

He will now to be produced before the Rouse Avenue court on April 3.

Meanwhile, Rouse Avenue court sent Arun Pillai, another accused in ED’s money laundering case, to 14 more days of judicial custody by after his earlier four-day custody expired on Monday.

Pillai, who was named in the CBI charge sheet and was granted bail by the Rouse Avenue court in the case registered by CBI, was arrested by ED on March 6.

ED has alleged that Pillai is one of the key people in the alleged scam involving payments of huge kickbacks and formation of the South Group. The agency also alleged that Pillai coordinated with various people to execute a political understanding between the South Group and leaders of the AAP and was involved in kickbacks from the South Group as well as their recoupments.

ED, on Pillai’s last date of hearing on March 16, while seeking the extension of his custody, submitted before thecourt that Pillai had to be confronted with K Kavitha and Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy who were summoned, and had appeared before ED on Monday.

Pillai will next be produced before the Rouse Avenue court on April 3.