Delhi excise policy scam: In a latest update to the Delhi excise policy scam case, the Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the pleas moved by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has sought bail in connection with the corruption and money laundering cases related to the now-scrapped excise policy. The notice was issued by a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan on two petitions filed by Sisodia challenging orders of the Delhi High Court denying him bail.
Appearing for Sisodia, Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi urged the top court to grant the AAP leader interim bail to meet his ailing wife. On it, the court issued notice and posted the matter for hearing on the application for interim bail on July 28. Meanwhile, additional Solicitor General SV Raju appeared for Enforcement Directorate on caveat before the top court.
Top court to hear interim bail on July 28
Earlier on July 10, a bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud agreed to list the special leave petitions on July 14 after senior advocate Singhvi sought urgent listing of the matter citing the ill health of Sisodia's wife.
Earlier in July, Sisodia moved the top court after the Delhi High Court had denied him bail in connection with the money laundering charges being probed by the ED.
On July 3, a division bench of the Delhi High Court refused to grant bail to Sisodia stating that he was not able to meet the two conditions for the grant of bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and the triple test for the grant of bail.
Court attached assets worth over Rs 50 crore
The probe agency contended that it has attached assets worth Rs 52.24 crore belonging to arrested AAP leader Minister, Manish Sisodia, his wife and some other accused in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. Earlier, Sisodia was denied bail by the high court in the CBI case relating to the same scam after observing that the allegations against him were very serious.
It should be mentioned here that Sisodia was arrested by the ED on March 9, after the CBI arrested him on February 26 this year. The excise policy was scrapped in August last year and the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor subsequently asked the CBI to probe the alleged irregularities and corruption involving government authorities, bureaucrats and liquor traders, among others. While denying him bail, Judge Nagpal had said that Sisodia can, prima facie, be held to be the "architect of the criminal conspiracy".
(With inputs from agencies)
