Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia appeared before Rouse Avenue court in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case after the 7-day ED remand expired, in New Delhi, on March 17, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in excise policy case being probed by CBI to March 24.
Mr. Sisodia was on March 20 produced before the court virtually as presently he is in custody of the Enforcement Directorate till March 22. The court on March 20 extended the judicial custody of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader till April 3.
Also read: Delhi excise scam: Cooperated with CBI in probe, no incriminating evidence found, Sisodia tells court
Earlier today, Mr. Sisodia told the Delhi court he has cooperated with the CBI investigation into the excise scam case and none of the searches have revealed any incriminating material against him.
Mr. Sisodia’s counsel, while making submissions on the bail plea of the AAP leader, said his custodial interrogation was no longer required and he was not a flight risk.
“I am public servant but two other public servants, against whom allegations are graver have not been arrested,” his counsel contended.
The lawyer for Mr. Sisodia, who was arrested on February 26 by the CBI, further said there’s no documentary evidence of receiving kickbacks against him and the change in the excise policy is purely in normal course.
He said the matter of change in excise policy went to the Delhi L-G and the finance secretary among others.
Mr. Sisodia’s counsel told the court that all the offences alleged entails less than seven years of imprisonment in the case and any further incarceration is not justified.
The CBI, which opposed the bail plea of Mr. Sisodia, said he had dealt with ‘unprecedented’ 18 ministries and while he may not be a flight risk but he is definitely a risk for evidence destruction.
The counsel appearing for the CBI submitted that frequently changing of phones by the former deputy chief minister was not at all an innocent act but deliberately done for destruction of evidences in the case.
“Probe agency has 60 days to file the chargesheet in the case and if Manish Sisodia comes out, investigation will be seriously compromised,” he said, adding that Mr. Sisodia is definitely in a position to influence witnesses and destroy evidence in the case.
(With inputs from PTI)