Delhi Liquor Policy Case: Manish Sisodia Named For First Time In CBI Chargesheet

Liquor Policy Case: The Special Judge MK Nagpal had earlier decided to hold the request on the bail plea of Sisodia and fixed April 26 for the pronouncement of the order.

Former Delhi deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been named for the first time as an accused in a chargesheet filed by CBI in the Delhi liquor policy case. The supplementary chargesheet filed in the case on Tuesday also names Butchi Babu, auditor of Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, Arjun Pandey and liquor trader Amandeep Dhal.

Sisodia has moved the Delhi High Court for bail, claiming no money trail linking him to the proceeds of alleged crime has been found. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma has fixed April 26 for submissions by CBI counsel.

In addition to provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the CBI has invoked IPC 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 201, and 420.

The CBI stated in its charge sheet that the investigation is ongoing to probe the larger conspiracy and the role of the other accused in the case.

The first chargesheet was submitted by the CBI on November 25, 2022.

The AAP has vigorously refuted the claim that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-2022 to grant licenses to liquor traders favored certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it. Later, the policy was scrapped.

The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Manish Sisodia on February 26 on charges of corruption in Delhi's new liquor policy. The CBI alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers, who had allegedly paid bribes for it. The charge was strongly refuted by the AAP. The policy was later scrapped.

He was subsequently placed under arrest by the Enforcement Directorate as well on March 9 in a money laundering case related to the same case. The matter later reached the Supreme Court, where Sisodia challenged his arrest. However, the top court refused to entertain his plea and asked him to approach the Delhi High Court first. Hours after the decision, Sisodia resigned as minister from the Delhi Cabinet. 

CBI on Sunday also summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, where he was questioned for around 9 hours as a witness in connection with the liquor policy case.