The Delhi high court on Tuesday denied bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in all the cases pertaining to the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, saying that there was no delay on the part of the prosecution to supply the documents and trial court to frame the charge.
The high court's decision comes a day after the capital's Rouse Avenue court extended Sisodia's judicial custody till May 31.
“This court is of the view that there has been no delay on part of the prosecution to supply the documents & on the part of the trial court regarding argument on charge. It is not the fault of ED, CBI & the trial court that there was voluminous record of investigation,” the court said.
The high court also rejected the former Delhi deputy chief minister's contention that it cannot consider the application on merits and called them “meritless”. The court said that the Supreme Court had not curtailed the right of the lower courts to consider the application on merits.
The court said that Sisodia was involved in the crucial destruction of electronic evidence and is an influential person as he is a powerful leader of the party. The court said that the possibility of Sisodia influencing material witnesses cannot be ruled out.
During the hearing, the court said that Sisodia, rather than genuinely seeking public comment, “orchestrated a scheme were pre-drafted emails” were sent “under the guise of public comment by various people under his direction. “Corruption in this case originated from the applicant’s desire to frame the policy. The dissemination of false information by portraying it as a form of feedback constitutes corruption,” the court added.
{{/usCountry}}During the hearing, the court said that Sisodia, rather than genuinely seeking public comment, “orchestrated a scheme were pre-drafted emails” were sent “under the guise of public comment by various people under his direction. “Corruption in this case originated from the applicant’s desire to frame the policy. The dissemination of false information by portraying it as a form of feedback constitutes corruption,” the court added.
{{/usCountry}}The court also said that Sisodia has not been able to make a case for grant of bail. The high court, however, allowed him to meet his wife under custody every week on same terms and conditions as decided by the trial court.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader's wife Seema has been suffering from an acute attack of multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune condition of the central nervous system.