Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia has knocked door of the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's order quashing his bail pleas in alleged liquor policy scam cases lodged by the ED and CBI.
A vacation bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta will, reportedly, hear Sisodia's pleas on Tuesday. It is pertinent to note that the high court, on May 21, dismissed Sisodia’s bail applications in the alleged liquor scam. The HC stated that the matter involved grave misuse of power and breach of public trust by him adding that he was powerful and held 18 portfolios.
High Court verdict on bail plea
The High Court has said that his conduct amounted to a "great betrayal of democratic principles" adding he allegedly indulged in destroying crucial evidence.
During the hearing on his bail application in the High Court, his counsel had argued that the ED and the CBI were still arresting people in the money laundering and corruption cases, and there was no question of early conclusion of the trial.
Responding to this, both the central probe agencies had opposed his bail pleas saying there were concerted efforts by him to delay the process of framing charges.
Sisodiya's role in Excise policy case
Sisodia held the Excise department which was entrusted with the formulation of a new liquor policy for Delhi. He was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy.
Kejriwal’s government implemented the Excise policy on November 17, 2021 However, after the allegations of corruption emerged, it was scrapped at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.
Later, ED also lodged a case and took custody of him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. Both the probe agencies accused Sisodia of modifying the excise policy and extending undue favours to the licence holders.
(With PTI Inputs)
ALSO READ | Excise policy scam case: Delhi court extends BRS leader K Kavitha’s judicial custody till July 3
