'Modi Ji May Conspire As Much As He Wants But...': Sisodia On Being Denied Bail In Delhi Excise Policy Case

Manish Sisodia targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a hearing over his judicial custody in the excise policy case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

File Photo: Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia being brought to Rouse Avenue court in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case ( Image Source :PTI )

Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi while he was leaving Rouse Avenue court on Saturday following a hearing over his judicial custody in the excise policy case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate. On being asked about his bail application dismissed by court, the former minister said: "Modi ji may try as much as he wants, but he won't be able to stop the work of Kejriwal ji in Delhi."

"Modi ji may try as much as he wants, but he won't be able to stop the work of Kejriwal ji in Delhi. Modi ji may conspire as much as he wants," Manish Sisodia said, as seen in the video tweeted by news agency ANI.

#WATCH मोदी जी चाहे जितनी कोशिश कर लें, लेकिन दिल्ली में केजरीवाल जी का काम नहीं रोक पाएंगे: राउज एवेन्यू कोर्ट से निकलते हुए आम आदमी पार्टी के नेता और दिल्ली के पूर्व उपमुख्यमंत्री मनीष सिसोदिया pic.twitter.com/EXBdnrLu7S

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 29, 2023

Manish Sisodia's judicial custody in the excise policy case being probed by the ED was extended till May 8 today. This came after his bail application in the ED case was rejected by Court on Friday. Manish Sisodia, who was arrested by ED in the case on March 9, will approach the Delhi High Court to challenge the order on his bail plea.

Sisodia is currently under judicial custody in the cases registered by CBI and ED.

Special Judge M K Nagpal had reserved the order after hearing arguments on Sisodia's plea seeking relief, claiming that his custody was no longer required for a probe. 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the application contending that the probe was at a "crucial" stage and claiming the senior AAP leader had planted fabricated e-mails to show there was public approval for the policy.

The central agency had also claimed that it found fresh evidence of his complicity in the alleged crime.

The court had on March 31 dismissed Sisodia's bail application in a corruption case, being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying he was "prima facie the architect" in the criminal conspiracy behind alleged payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore meant for him and his colleagues in the Delhi government.

The court had observed that the release of Sisodia, at the moment, will "adversely affect the ongoing investigation".

The CBI and the ED had arrested Sisodia for alleged corruption in the formulation and execution of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 and for laundering the money so generated.

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

Earlier this week, Manish Sisodia was 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.

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.