A Delhi court on Saturday extended till April 18, the judicial custody of former Delhi Minister Manish Sisodia, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail for his alleged involvement in the Delh liquor policy scam case.
The Delhi Police produced Sisodia before the court of Special CBI Judge Kaveri Baweja today on the expiry of his judicial custody granted earlier by the Rouse Avenue Court.
The Counsel appearing for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) reiterated his claim from April 2 that the investigative agencies have not provided any evidence linking him to any money in the case.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court in the same case, also appeared before the court for the proceedings.
Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the now-scrapped Delhi Excise policy scam case on February 26, 2023. Subsequently, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9.
It has been alleged that Sisodia and other members of AAP had connived to grant liquor licences to certain traders in exchange for bribes.
The two national agencies had alleged that the Delhi Excise policy 2021-22 was tweaked and the profit margins were changed in a manner that benefited certain traders and kickbacks were received in exchange for the same.
Cases were registered in relation to the alleged scam after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a CBI probe based on a report by the Delhi Chief Secretary.
The report claimed that Sisodia violated statutory provisions and notified a policy that had significant financial implications. AAP has denied the allegations and maintained that Sisodia is innocent.
As per the AAP leader, the policy and the changes made in it were approved by the LG and that CBI was now going after the policy decisions of an elected government. He further said that till now, neither the CBI nor the ED has been able to trace any kickbacks to him.