Delhi Excise Policy: Rouse Avenue Court Extends Manish Sisodia Judicial Custody till Jan 10

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has extended the judicial custody of AAP Leader Manish Sisodia till January 10 in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Special Judge M K Nagpal also sought responses from Sisodia and other accused individuals regarding an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which seeks permission to submit additional documents in the case.

The judge has directed the accused parties to submit their replies to the application by January 10. In the course of the proceedings, the court has deferred the hearing on an application filed by the ED, seeking day-to-day proceedings in the matter.

The judge highlighted that the case is presently in the document scrutiny stage and clarified that the trial will commence after this phase concludes and charges are framed against the accused. “The application shall be taken up at the relevant time,” stated the judge.

Manish Sisodia was apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, alleging his involvement in corruption related to the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2020-21. Sisodia, a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has remained in custody since then.

The ED arrested Sisodia in connection with a money laundering case arising from the CBI FIR on March 9, following his interrogation in Tihar jail. Sisodia, who was responsible for the excise portfolio, resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.

The Delhi government had introduced the excise policy on November 17, 2021, but revoked it at the end of September 2022 amid corruption allegations. Investigating agencies contend that the profit margins of wholesalers were arbitrarily increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent under the new policy. Allegations include cartelisation and favoring ineligible parties for liquor licenses for monetary gains. However, both the Delhi government and Sisodia deny any wrongdoing, asserting that the new policy aimed at revenue enhancement.