Delhi Liquor Policy Case: Court To Hear Manish Sisodia's Bail Plea Against ED Charges On April 18

A Delhi special court on Wednesday posted AAP leader Manish Sisodia's bail plea in the ED case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy case for hearing on April 18. 

Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on February 26. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: A Delhi special court on Wednesday posted the bail petition of AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy for hearing on April 18. Last week, the court had extended his custody till April 17.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had 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. Wednesday's hearing was on the ED case. 

The ED is yet to name Sisodia in its charge sheet. On April 5, the ED had informed the court that it had found new evidence of Sisodia's involvement in the money laundering case and that the investigation was at a crucial stage.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were put behind bars by "anti-national forces". 

Earlier, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the CBI regarding Sisodia's bail request in the Delhi excise policy case. The high court asked the CBI to respond to the plea and scheduled the next hearing for April 20. Sisodia filed a plea in the high court, challenging the trial court's decision to deny him bail in the CBI's case involving alleged irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy.

Raghav Magunta, son of YSR Congress MP Magunta Srinivas Reddy; Rajesh Joshi, director of an advertising firm; and Gautam Malhotra, son of SAD MLA from Punjab Deep Malhotra are also involved in the case.

ED CONCLUDES ARGUMENT IN SPECIAL COURT

The ED on Wednesday concluded its argument in the money laundering case against Sisodia. The ED accused AAP leader Manish Sisodia of planting fabricated e-mails to create the illusion of public approval for a policy related to an alleged excise scam. The ED opposed Sisodia's bail application and presented evidence that he had instructed Zakir Khan, the chairman of the Delhi Minorities’ Commission, to have interns send e-mails to both official and personal e-mail accounts.

The e-mails were designed to suit Sisodia's agenda and supported a policy that benefited liquor cartels in exchange for kickbacks, the ED argued. The defence counsel requested to view the case diary, but the ED refused and stated that the 60-day period allowed for investigating an arrested individual had not yet elapsed.