The Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi government and the arrested Deputy CM Manish Sisodia have suffered a major setback in the liquor scam. Sisodia had filed a petition for urgent hearing in the Supreme Court against the CBI investigation and his arrest. Supreme Court refuses to intervene or to stop CBI action against Manish Sisodia.
Mr. Sisodia, the arrested Excise minister of Delhi Government had filed a petition before Supreme Court and the Supreme Court also agreed to hear the petition. The hearing fixed after 3.30 pm on Tuesday . The matter was being heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. The bench also included Justice PS Narasimha.
As soon as advocate Abhishek Singhvi started arguments, the Chief Justice asked why he had come to the Supreme Court under Article 32? Abhishek Manu Singhvi referred to the decisions given by the Supreme Court in the recent past on the petitions of Vinod Dua and Arnav Goswami. On this, the Chief Justice said that your case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. What does this have to do with Article 32?
After this, Justice PS Narasimha told Abhishek Manu Singhvi in a stern tone that if the incident happened in Delhi, would you come directly to the Supreme Court? You have the option of Delhi High Court. Both the judges said that this is not a matter of personal liberty but of the Prevention of Corruption Act. If you have objection of the action of CBI then you have to go to High Court.
After saying this, the Supreme Court refused to interfere in the CBI action on Manish Sisodia.
Actually, CBI has made Manish Sisodia the main accused in the liquor scam. CBI Alleges that the new liquor policy of Delhi was made to benefit the liquor traders. Cabinet drafts of the new liquor policy were shared with people outside the government. The commission of liquor traders was increased from 2 per cent to 12 per cent.
However, after the controversy escalated, the Kejriwal government had withdrawn the new liquor policy, but by then the ED and CBI had started the investigation.
Manish Sisodia has the responsibilities of Excise (Liquor), Education and Finance, besides 18 other ministries in Delhi State Government.
