The Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Friday sent AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to ED remand till March 17 in excise policy case. The Delhi court also adjourned arguments on Sisodia's bail plea in the corruption case being probed by CBI till March 21. ED in its application had sought 10-day custody of Sisodia in the excise policy case.
During the hearing, the Enforcement Directorate told the Delhi court that SIM cards and mobile phones were purchased in the names of other people by Manish Sisodia. "It is seeking 10-day custody for interrogation of Manish Sisodia to identify the modus operandi and to confront other persons who have been summoned."
"Huge amount of profit was given to the retailer. There was an error in the formulation of the policy. 12 per cent profit margin was kept to the wholesalers which were against the policy. Manish Sisodia's statement differs from others on the part of increasing profit margins. He says profit margins to wholesale sellers were doubled based on previous calculations. While no such discussion took place in GoM," the probing agency argued in the court. ED claimed Rs 100 crore was bribed.
Countering ED, senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Manish Sisodia, said, "The court cannot ignore the timing of the arrest and call the arrest malafide and keeping a man in continued detention."
Sisodia was arrested on Thursday, this time by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after hours of questioning in the Delhi liquor policy scam. Sisodia is already lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail under judicial custody till March 20.
The ED has arrested Manish Sisodia on money laundering charges linked to excise policy case, officials said. The former Delhi deputy CM was questioned by ED for over 6 hours on March 9 in relation to the now scrapped liquor policy.
Speaking on Sisodia's arrest by the ED, Kejriwal said, "Manish was first arrested by the CBI. CBI did not find any evidence, no money was found in the raid. There is a bail hearing tomorrow. Manish would have been released tomorrow. So today ED arrested him. They have only one aim - to keep Manish inside jail at all costs. By creating new fake cases everyday. The public is watching, they will answer..."
The 51-year-old was arrested under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following his second round of questioning at the Tihar jail, they said. ED alleged Sisodia was "evasive" in his replies and was "not cooperating in the probe."
Sisodia is currently lodged in judicial custody after the CBI arrested him on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi liquor or excise policy for 2021-22. The first round of Sisodia's questioning by the ED took place on March 7.
(With agencies inputs)
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