New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday ordered senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to be produced physically before the court in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. The next hearing of the case has been listed on July 31.
The Delhi police had filed an application in court seeking Sisodia's production through video conferencing for security concerns. Police stated that bringing Sisodia to court creates chaos putting security at risk.
Opposing which, Sisodia's counsel argued that an individual's right to be produced in court cannot be infringed upon. Sisodia's lawyer stressed that his client has the right to be produced physically for an effective hearing. Following which, the judge of Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court ordered that Sisodia will be produced physically before the court.
On June 1, Sisodia was produced before court via video conferencing. The AAP leader's counsel had then alleged that Sisodia was manhandled by security personnel during his production on May 23. He complained that the police forcibly pushed Sisodia into the van while he was interacting with the media. The court had raised questions on the role of media and said that a ban may be imposed on media if needed. It stated that apart from family members Sisodia would not be allowed to meet anyone.
Next, Sisodia was asked as to whether he would like to appear in person or via video conference. To which, Sisodia replied that he wanted to appear in court physically. But, the Delhi Police filed an application seeking presence via video conference. The court had also asked authorities to produce CCTV footage of May 23 incident when the AAP leader was allegedly heckled at the next hearing.
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On July 3, the Delhi High Court had denied bail to Sisodia in the case registered by the ED on the ground that being a powerful person he may attempt to influence the witnesses. In a similar order, the high court had denied him bail in the case filed in this regard by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Rouse Court too had denied bail earlier. On May 6, ED had named him in the chargesheet for his involvement in the money laundering case.
