New Delhi: In a significant development, the Delhi High Court has rejected the bail petition of Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, in connection with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case involving alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy. The court has also dismissed bail petitions of Vijay Nair, the ex-communication in charge of Aam Aadmi Party, Abhishek Boinpally, a Hyderabad-based businessman, and Binoy Babu Binoy, a manager with liquor company Pernod Ricard, all related to the same case.

The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, while dismissing Manish Sisodia's bail petition, affirmed the trial court's order, stating that there are no evident flaws in its decision. The court emphasized the potential risks of tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses, and it found that the conditions required for granting bail under Section 45 were not met. As a result, bail was denied.

It is worth noting that the trial court had previously denied bail to all the accused individuals.  Moreover, the Delhi High Court had also dismissed Manish Sisodia's bail plea in a separate CBI case, which alleged corruption in the implementation of a previous liquor policy in the national capital. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, while denying bail to Sisodia in this case, expressed concerns about the possibility of a person of his influence exerting undue pressure on witnesses.

In yet another blow to Manish Sisodia, the Rouse Avenue Court had earlier rejected his bail application in a money laundering case related to the Excise scam. The court justified its decision by highlighting the severe impact of economic offenses on the general public and society as a whole. The evidence collected during the investigation strongly indicated Sisodia's involvement in the commission of the said offense.

Furthermore, the court noted that some evidence had emerged during the investigation, suggesting that a portion of the kickback or bribe amount received from the South lobby was used for the AAP's election campaign in Goa. Allegations were also made regarding cash payments through hawala channels sent to Goa, along with the creation of fake invoices to conceal the cash transactions.

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