The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding a petition filed by AAP leader Manish Sisodia.
The former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister has challenged a trial court’s decision to take cognizance of a chargesheet in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri has scheduled the matter for further proceedings on December 20, alongside a similar plea filed by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. Sisodia’s petition contends that the trial court’s order is invalid as it was issued without the necessary sanction for prosecuting him as a public servant at the time the alleged offences occurred.
Sisodia, currently out on bail, has sought the quashing of the trial court’s order.
Background of the Case
The CBI and ED have alleged irregularities in the modification of Delhi’s excise policy, accusing officials of granting undue favors to license holders. The Delhi government implemented the excise policy on November 17, 2021, but scrapped it by September 2022 amid corruption allegations.
The money laundering case originates from a CBI investigation ordered after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena recommended a probe into the alleged irregularities in implementing the policy.
The court’s decision on the petitions will be closely watched, given the high-profile nature of the case involving senior AAP leaders.
