A local court in Delhi on Friday sent former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in the custody of Enforcement Directorate till March 17 for his alleged involvement in irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
Special Judge M.K. Nagpal at the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the verdict after hearing arguments from Senior Advocates Dayan Krishnan, Mohit Mathur and Siddharth Aggarwal, who appeared for Sisodia. The ED was represented by Advocate Zoheb Hossain
The court further listed the bail application of Sisodia in the CBI case for hearing at 2:00 pm on March 21.
Yesterday, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), after questioning him inside Tihar jail.
On March 6, the Rouse Avenue Court had remanded Sisodia to judicial custody in the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging corruption in implementation of the now-scrapped Excise Policy for the year 2021-22.
The order was passed after the CBI Counsel said they were not seeking extension of his custody at present but might seek his remand again in the next 15 days.
The trial court permitted Sisodia to have spectacles, Bhagwat Gita, a diary and a pen inside the jail premises. He further got permission to have his medicines as prescribed in the MLC conducted by CBI officials.
Special Judge Nagpal had directed the Jail Superintendent to consider Sisodia’s request of keeping him in Vipaasana (meditation) cell.
On February 27, the trial court had remanded Sisodia to CBI’s custody for five days. He was again sent to CBI custody for two more days on Saturday last week.
Sisodia was arrested on February 26 after an interrogation of more than eight hours. He was named as an accused in the FIR related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the Excise Policy for the year 2021-22.
CBI claimed that it arrested Sisodia as he gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence.
Sisodia was earlier questioned on October 17 last year. A charge sheet was filed in the matter on November 25, 2022.
The FIR by CBI alleged that Sisodia and others were instrumental in ‘recommending’ and taking decisions regarding the Excise policy 2021-22 ‘without’ approval of the competent authority, with an intention to ‘extend’ undue favours to the licensee post tender.