Today (May 2nd) Ex-Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia has approached the Delhi High Court seeking bail in the Delhi excise policy case.
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NEW DELHI: Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia today turned to the Delhi High Court in a bid for bail amidst the legal quagmire surrounding the Delhi excise policy case. Sisodia’s plea for bail encompasses both the money laundering charges leveled against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The backdrop to this plea unfolds after a Delhi court, on April 30, rebuffed Sisodia’s entreaties for bail in both cases, prompting his recourse to the High Court for relief.
Although the plea was flagged for an urgent hearing today, the Court deferred the proceedings to Friday, May 3, for a comprehensive examination.
Sisodia’s confinement dates back to February 26, 2023, amidst ongoing investigations by both the CBI and the ED into the Delhi excise policy imbroglio.
At the crux of the case lie allegations implicating Delhi government officials in a purported collusion scheme, purportedly greasing the wheels for liquor licenses in exchange for illicit gains. The accusation contends that these officials manipulated the excise policy to favor select liquor vendors, drawing criticism for breaching public trust and flouting regulatory norms.
This recent setback marks the second occasion where Sisodia’s bids for bail have been rebuffed by the trial court. His initial plea for bail in the CBI case met rejection on March 31, 2023, followed by another rejection on April 28 in the ED case.
The judicial journey continued as the Delhi High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court upheld the trial court’s decisions in October 2023. Undeterred, Sisodia pressed on, filing a subsequent round of bail pleas before the trial court, all met with dismissal.
As Sisodia awaits the High Court’s deliberations on his latest plea, the legal saga surrounding the Delhi excise policy case continues to unfurl, emblematic of the intersecting realms of law, politics, and governance in India’s capital city.
Previous Report of April 30th in Trial Court
A Delhi court highlighted a deliberate strategy by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and his co-accused to delay the proceedings in the Delhi Excise Policy case.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court noted that Sisodia, along with other defendants, has been frequently submitting applications and making oral submissions, some of which she described as frivolous.
“In the light of the above observations based on record of the case, it is thus apparent that the Applicant (Sisodia) individually, and along with different accused have been filing one or the other application/making oral submissions frequently, some of them frivolous, that too on a piecemeal basis, apparently as a concerted effort for accomplishing the shared purpose of causing delay in the matter,”
-the order stated.
This observation came as the court denied bail to Sisodia in cases brought by both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the Delhi Excise Policy. The decision aligns with the Supreme Court’s guidance, which, in October 2023, refused Sisodia’s bail but allowed for the possibility of a new application if the trial showed negligible progress over three months.
Judge Baweja asserted that, despite attempts to delay the case, the trial’s pace does not justify a description of moving at a “snail’s pace.”
Further detailing her decision, Judge Baweja dismissed Sisodia’s request for bail on humanitarian grounds related to his wife’s health. She clarified that Sisodia’s claim of lacking family support for his wife was factually incorrect, noting that his son could care for her. Moreover, she pointed out that Sisodia’s wife has been managing her long-term condition with ongoing medical care, and there was no immediate medical emergency presented that would necessitate Sisodia’s release.
In a detailed order made available today, the trial court also rejected Sisodia’s contention that he should be released on bail because of the health condition of his wife.
“…the Applicant in his application has mentioned that there is nobody in the family except him to support her [wife]. However, this is factually incorrect as the Applicant has a son who can take care of the Applicant’s wife…Even otherwise, from the medical record of the wife of the Applicant as annexed with the application under consideration, it appears that she has been suffering from the said ailment since a long time and has also been receiving requisite medical treatment and care for the same. The application discloses no imminent of urgent need or any medical emergency warranting release of the Accused/Applicant on bail for this reason.”
The court also rejected Sisodia’s plea for bail on the grounds of parity with co-accused Benoy Babu, marking a continued firm stance against Sisodia’s release. Sisodia has been detained since February 26, 2023, under investigation by both the CBI and the ED for alleged misconduct in modifying the excise policy to favor certain liquor licensees in return for bribes.
This ruling marks the second instance where the trial court has denied Sisodia’s bail requests. His initial plea in the CBI case was turned down on March 31, 2023, followed by a rejection in the ED case on April 28. Subsequent appeals in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court upheld these decisions, reinforcing the trial court’s stance.
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April 30th Trial Court Order–
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Manish Sisodia
Click Here to Read Previous Reports of Delhi Excise Policy Scam
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