The Delhi High Court today granted more time to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file their response to the bail pleas lodged by former Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia. He is currently under judicial custody in the money laundering and corruption cases related to the alleged liquor policy scam.
A single judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma scheduled the matter for hearing on Monday, May 13, after Zoheb Hossain, special counsel for ED, informed the court that the central investigation agency wanted further one weeks’ time to file its response as the Investigating Officer (IO) was in the middle of filing another supplementary prosecution complaint in the case. He added that another person is in judicial custody and the proceedings are going on in the top court regarding a co-accused.
Appearing for the former Deputy Chief Minister, Advocate Vivek Jain opposed the request. The counsel stated that the ED, before the Supreme Court, had said that the trial will be concluded in the case within six months. He added that Manish Sisodia’s fresh bail plea filed after dismissal by the top court had been adjourned for three months and that ED’s reply before the trial court has already been annexed in the bail plea.
Zoheb Hossain opposed the assertion by terming it false submission and said that Sisodia’s bail plea in the High court has not been pending for three months.The counsel representing the CBI also sought one weeks’ time for filing reply in the matter. Subsequently, the court said that it will grant time to ED and CBI for filing their response till this week and scheduled the matter for hearing on Monday.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has moved court challenging the trial court orders dismissing his second bail plea in both CBI and ED cases on April 30. Denying him bail in the money laundering case, the trial court dismissed Sisodia’s plea that the proceedings in the case have been delayed or that the case is proceeding at a snail’s pace.
Manish Sisodia was denied bail by the trial court, Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court in both ED and CBI cases. The apex court had also dismissed Sisodia’s review petitions against the denial of bail. His curative petitions have also been dismissed. The AAP leader was first arrested by CBI and ED on February 26 and March 9 last year respectively.