In a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, the Supreme Court denied him bail in connection with a case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy case.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia [Photo: IANS]
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia in connection with cases related to alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case, reported news agency ANI.
The former Delhi deputy CM is facing the charges of money laundering and corruption over alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 and has been in the custody since then.
The CBI first began its probe against Sisodia on the basis of a report sent by the then Delhi chief secretary to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommending an investigation by the central agency.
Advertisement
The CBI then field a case and began its investigation. The agency searched Sisodia’s bank lockers in August last year. At that time, Sisodia had claimed that the agency didn’t find any incriminating evidence from hai bank locker.
On February 26, the CBI arrested him after nearly hours of questioning. On March 9, the Enforcement Directorate, which registered a separate money laundering case against him in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam, arrested him from Delhi Tihar jail a day before his bail hearing in the Rouse Avenue district court.
Both, Sisodia and his Aam Aadmi Party have rejected the allegations and termed his arrest a political conspiracy by the BJP-led central government.
Earlier this month, another top Aam Aadmi Party and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate following extensive raids at his Delhi residence.
The senior AAP leader was also arrested in connection with a money laundering probe into the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case.
According to ED sleuths, Singh played a key role in the formulation of the now scrapped Delhi liquor policy which benefitted certain manufacturers and vendors.
It was Sanjay Singh, according to ED, who introduced Sisodia to Dinesh Arora, a key accused turned witness. He also pleaded not guilty and AAP termed his arrest a result of BJP’s “nervousness” ahead of elections.
Advertisement
