Delhi Liquor Policy Case: CBI Opposes Manish Sisodia's Bail, Custody Parole Applications

The central probe agency submitted its response to the applications before Special Judge M K Nagpal, urging the court to dismiss them.

File Photo Of Manish Sisodia

Source : PTI Images

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday opposed the bail and custody parole applications filed by Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the alleged Delhi excise scam case, news agency PTI reported. The central probe agency submitted its response to the applications before Special Judge M K Nagpal, urging the court to dismiss them.

In a joint reply, the CBI addressed both the regular bail and custody parole applications filed by Manish Sisodia. The judge granted the request for arguments on February 5, 2024, in line with the agreed timeline.

"A joint reply has been submitted today on behalf of the CBI regarding the application for regular bail as well as the other application seeking custody parole filed by the accused Manish Sisodia... As per the agreed terms, the above applications of the accused are now scheduled for arguments at 2 pm on February 5, 2024," the judge announced. 

Simultaneously, the judge allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) time until February 5 to submit their responses to similar applications filed by Sisodia in a related money laundering case.

"ED has requested additional time to prepare replies to the application for regular bail as well as the other application seeking custody parole filed by Manish Sisodia.

"As per the mutual agreement, the matter is now set to be heard on February 5, 2024, for response and arguments, and it is explicitly stated that no further extensions for filing replies shall be entertained," the judge clarified.

The Delhi excise policy, annulled in August 2022, prompted the lieutenant governor to involve the CBI in investigating alleged irregularities and corruption involving government authorities, bureaucrats, and liquor traders. Following the CBI's FIR, the ED initiated a case to probe the suspected money laundering associated with the scam.

Sisodia, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, is currently detained at Delhi's Tihar Jail. On March 9, the ED arrested Sisodia in the money laundering case based on the CBI-led FIR after questioning him in Tihar Jail.

The Supreme Court dismissed Sisodia's bail petitions in corruption and money-laundering cases involving the now-defunct Delhi liquor policy. In its order, the Supreme Court denied Sisodia relief while noting the tentative establishment of a money trail totaling Rs 338 crore in the case at hand.