NEW DELHI: In the case brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the suspected Delhi excise policy scam, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday either rejected or granted bail to senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia.
Sisodia could sway witnesses if released on bond, according to Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma's ruling.
"The accusations are of an extremely severe nature. The defendant worked for the government. We haven't looked at the government's authority or the excise policy. The petitioner, who is a strong individual, could, however, influence the witnesses, the Court stated. On March 31, a Delhi trial court denied Sisodia's request for bail.
The former excise minister allegedly played the most significant and crucial role in the criminal conspiracy relating to the purported Delhi Excise Policy case, according to a detailed judgement by special CBI judge MK Nagpal.
On February 26, the CBI detained Sisodia in connection with the liquor policy investigation. He was then detained on March 9 by the ED. Sisodia and other AAP members are accused of conspiring to give liquor licences to specific retailers in exchange for kickbacks.
The CBI's case is that the excise policy was tweaked and the profit margins were changed in a way that benefited certain traders and kickbacks were received in exchange for the same.
Following Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena's recommendation for a CBI investigation based on a report from the Delhi Chief Secretary, the ED and the CBI lodged cases in connection with the alleged scam. According to the study, Sisodia broke the law and informed a policy that had serious financial repercussions.
The claims have been refuted by the AAP, which has defended Sisodia's innocence. Sisodia said, the LG approved the policy and the adjustments made to it, and the CBI is now pursuing the policy choices of an elected administration. He added that the CBI and ED have not been able to link any kickbacks to him up to this point.
The special court had on April 28 refused Sisodia bail in the ED case as well. A High Court appeal against the same is currently proceeding.
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