Supreme Court notice to CBI, ED on Manish Sisodia's bail pleas in Delhi excise case
The Supreme Court issued notice to CBI and ED on separate bail pleas filed by Manish Sisodia.
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate on separate bail pleas filed by former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged liquor policy irregularities case. The court agreed to consider on July 28 the interim prayer for urgent bail due to his wife Seema Sisodia's hospitalisation.
The plea was heard by a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi.
On Monday, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud agreed to list the Sisodia plea on July 14. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia has said his wife was not well and sought an urgent listing.
Sisodia had moved the Supreme Court for bail in CBI and ED cases related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case. He has challenged the Delhi high court's order rejecting his bail plea.
Recently, the Delhi HC denied him bail in both matters. In its order passed on July 3, 2023, in the ED case, the Delhi HC stated that this court inter alia was of the view that in view of the high political positions held by the accused and his position in the party in power in Delhi, the possibility of influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.
During arguments, the CBI had 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 claim the applicant to be a victim of a political vendetta."
In February 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI last for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of Delhi's new excise policy. The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the Opposition. He is currently in judicial custody.
According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most important and vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the said conspiracy.
