Delhi Excise Scam: Court Extends Judicial Custody of Manish Sisodia & Sanjay Singh till Feb 3

A Delhi court has extended the judicial custody of AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia until February 3 in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged excise scam. The leaders appeared via video conferencing from Tihar Jail during the court proceedings. The court has also kept its decision pending on the bail application of Sarvesh Mishra, a close associate of Singh and an accused in the same case.

Both Singh and Sisodia were virtually presented before the court as their previous judicial custody, granted earlier in the case, came to an end. The court was informed by the relevant official that the physical presence of the accused was not feasible due to security concerns and a shortage of police personnel attributed to Republic Day preparations.

Additionally, Special Judge M K Nagpal has deferred the decision on Mishra’s bail application to January 24. Mishra had filed the plea after complying with the court’s summons, which was issued in response to the judge taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed against him and Singh.

In his application, Mishra argued that since he was not arrested during the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation, sending him to jail after the charge sheet’s completion would serve no purpose. The ED did not oppose his bail application during the arguments.

The court has also postponed the decision on the bail application of co-accused Amit Arora to January 24, 2024.

The court had acknowledged the supplementary prosecution complaint (equivalent to a charge sheet) filed against AAP MP Sanjay Singh and his associate Mishra on December 19. Sanjay Singh was arrested by the ED on October 4. The ED had previously informed the court that Singh was part of a conspiracy to obtain kickbacks from liquor groups in the Delhi excise policy for the year 2021-22. The Delhi excise policy was annulled in August 2022, prompting the Delhi lieutenant governor to request a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving government authorities, bureaucrats, and liquor traders, among others.