Excise Policy Case: Delhi court extends Manish Sisodia's judicial custody till May 30

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court has extended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia's judicial custody till May 30 in CBI's case related to Delhi Excise Policy.

Manish Sisodia and other accused persons who are in custody produced through video conferencing from jail.

Further, an application for postponement of arguments on charge is also pending before the Delhi High Court.

On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate opposed the bail plea of former Delhi deputy chief minister in the money laundering case.

The Delhi High Court also reserved its order on bail plea moved by Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case in both CBI and ED matters.

The federal agency had contended before the Delhi High Court that it will make the AAP an accused in the money laundering case.

"AAP is going to be made a co-accused in the next prosecution complaint (charge sheet) to be filed in the case," ED's counsel contended before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who is hearing arguments on Sisodia's bail plea.

While seeking bail for him, Sisodia's counsel submitted that the ED and the CBI are still arresting people in the money laundering and corruption case and there is no question of early conclusion of the trial.

Last week, a lower court extended Sisodia’s judicial custody till May 21. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended the custody after he was produced before the court through video conference on the expiry of his judicial custody granted earlier.

Sisodia has been in custody since February 26, 2023, after arrest by the CBI. Later, he was arrested by the ED.

The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy. Undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval.

As per the allegations, the excise department had decided to refund the earnest money deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules.

Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19, the probe agency said, adding that there was an alleged loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer.