New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday adjourned till April 5 the hearing on the bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case arising out of the excise policy matter. Special Judge MK Nagpal adjourned the hearing after Sisodia's counsel sought time to respond to the ED's reply filed on his client's bail plea.
Sisodia's counsel told the court that he needed some time to make detailed arguments in the matter. On March 9, the ED arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Sisodia at the Tihar jail, where he was lodged in connection with a separate case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI arrested the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. The court had on Friday said it would pronounce its order on Sisodia's bail plea in the CBI case on March 31.
During the hearing, the CBI submitted details of the case along with the arguments that have already been presented in this connection. Sisodia's lawyer had argued that it would not serve any purpose to keep the leader in custody as many recoveries have already been made. He said that Sisodia had joined in the investigation whenever he was asked for.
Sisodia mentioned that he held the important constitutional post of deputy CM. Opposing the bail plea, CBI apprehended that the investigation would get compromised if bail was granted as he would try to exercise his influence. It further said Sisodia had destroyed phones on the plea of upgradation though no such thing was actually done. (with Agency inputs)
