Delhi excise policy scam: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia till May 30 in the case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to the alleged excise policy scam.
Special judge for CBI and ED cases, Kaveri Baweja, has scheduled May 30 for additional arguments on framing charges in the case.
The judge noted that an application requesting a postponement of arguments on the charge is pending before the high court.
Sisodia and other detained individuals were presented before the court via video-conferencing from prison.
High Court grants more time to ED, CBI
Earlier on May 8, the Delhi High Court had granted more time to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file their replies to the bail pleas filed by the former Deputy Chief Minister challenging the trial court order refusing him bail in the excise policy case.
Appearing for the ED, Advocate Zoheb Hossain sought more time to file a reply in the matter and informed the court that the investigating officer was in the middle of filing another supplementary prosecution complaint in the case. The bench recently issued notice to both agencies and sought their replies in the matter. The court on the last date of the hearing also allowed applicant Manish Sisodia to continue to meet his ailing wife under custody once a week.
When Manish Sisodia was arrested?
Sisodia, who also served as excise minister in the Delhi government, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 last year in connection with the case. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023. He was later arrested by the ED in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped policy in March 2023.
Delhi excise policy scam case
It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Also Read: Excise policy case: Delhi court extends judicial custody of Manish Sisodia till May 15
