The Delhi High Court issued an order on Friday granting permission to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is currently in judicial custody regarding the Delhi excise policy scam, to meet his wife between 10 am and 5 pm on June 3. According to the legal reporting website Bar and Bench, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma emphasised that Sisodia should refrain from engaging with the media or meeting anyone other than his family during this visit. Additionally, he will not have access to a phone or the internet.
The court also directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to provide a status report on Sisodia's interim bail plea by the following evening.
Furthermore, the Court reserved its verdict on Sisodia's plea for interim bail, which was filed citing his wife's medical condition. The regular bail plea filed by Sisodia in connection with the money laundering case linked to the alleged liquor policy scam was also held in reserve.
Opposing the plea for interim bail, the ED argued against it. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for the ED, suggested that Sisodia is allowed to visit his wife under police escort. The ASG highlighted that Sisodia had previously held numerous ministerial portfolios and did not make time to visit his wife, Bar and Bench reported. The ASG also mentioned that Sisodia recently withdrew an interim bail plea, only to present a similar one shortly afterward, without any significant changes in his wife's condition.
In the ED case, Sisodia was previously denied bail by a special court on April 28, and today the verdict was reserved on the appeal against that decision.
Earlier, on May 30, the Delhi High Court had denied Sisodia bail in the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to the same scam. Justice Sharma stated that Sisodia, being a powerful figure, had the potential to influence witnesses if released on bail.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in connection with the liquor policy case and subsequently arrested by the ED on March 9.
The allegation against Sisodia and other members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is that they conspired to grant liquor licenses to specific traders in exchange for bribes. The central agencies contend that the excise policy was manipulated, altering profit margins in favor of certain traders who provided kickbacks in return.
The ED and the CBI initiated cases based on a recommendation by Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena, following a report by the Delhi Chief Secretary. According to their reports, Sisodia had violated statutory provisions by implementing a policy with large-scale financial implications.
AAP has refuted the allegations and maintained Sisodia's innocence. Sisodia argues that the policy and its modifications were approved by the LG and accuses the CBI of targeting the policy decisions made by an elected government. He further asserts that neither the CBI nor the ED has been able to trace any kickbacks back to him thus far.