Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia finds himself in a legal tangle as the Supreme Court has issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in response to separate bail pleas filed by Sisodia. These pleas are related to the alleged irregularities in the liquor policy case. Adding urgency to the matter, Sisodia’s wife, Seema Sisodia, has been hospitalized, leading the court to consider an interim prayer for urgent bail on July 28.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi presided over the plea hearing. The Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, had earlier agreed to list the Sisodia plea on July 14, taking into account the senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s argument that Sisodia’s wife’s health condition required immediate attention.
Manish Sisodia’s bail plea pertains to cases filed by the CBI and ED, which allege irregularities in Delhi’s excise policy. Sisodia has challenged the rejection of his bail plea by the Delhi High Court. Unfortunately for Sisodia, the High Court had recently denied him bail in both cases. In its July 3, 2023 order concerning the ED case, the court expressed concern over the possibility of the accused, owing to his high political positions and association with the ruling party in Delhi, potentially influencing witnesses.
During the arguments, the CBI vehemently opposed Sisodia’s bail plea, citing his close connections with executive offices and bureaucrats. The agency claimed that his influential position and party colleagues’ factually incorrect claims were an attempt to interfere with the investigation and portray him as a victim of political vendetta.
Sisodia’s legal troubles stem from his arrest by the CBI in February 2023 for alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of Delhi’s new excise policy. The policy, which was later withdrawn due to opposition allegations of foul play, saw Sisodia playing a central role. He currently remains in judicial custody.
The CBI has accused Sisodia of being deeply involved in the criminal conspiracy, emphasizing his pivotal role in formulating and implementing the policy to achieve the objectives of the alleged conspiracy.