Excise 'Scam': AAP Leader Manish Sisodia Withdraws Interim Bail Plea

After AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia withdrew the petition, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court rejected his bail plea with Special judge for Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Kaveri Baweja, reserving the order for April 30.

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia withdrew the petition seeking interim bail from Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. He had sought interim bail for election campaign. CBI has opposed the regular bail application of Manish Sisodia. CBI said that he should not be granted bail as he has been described as the mastermind in this case.

Meanwhile, the court here on Saturday reserved its order on the bail pleas of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in corruption and money laundering cases, lodged by the CBI and the ED in the alleged Delhi excise policy case.

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court rejected the bail plea of Delhi Excise scam accused and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. However, the decision has been reserved.

Special judge for CBI and ED, Kaveri Baweja, reserved the order for April 30 after hearing arguments from the central probe agencies as well as the counsel appearing for Sisodia.

The AAP leader had also moved interim bail pleas in both cases to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. However, Sisodia's counsel told the court today that the plea has become infructuous as the regular bail plea is being reserved.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as well as the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) have alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, licence fee was waived or reduced and licences were extended without the competent authority's approval.

The beneficiaries allegedly diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies have alleged.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, for his alleged role in the "scam". The Enforcement Directorate ED arrested the former deputy chief minister in a money-laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.