New Delhi: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Monday extended the judicial custody of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia till April 17 in connection with the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped liquor policy case that is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI sought an extension of his judicial custody before the court stating that the case was currently in a crucial stage. Sisodia, whom CBI had arrested on February 26, was produced before the court this morning.
Earlier, while opposing the bail plea, the CBI had stated that if bail was granted to the AAP leader then investigations might get compromised. The agency had also claimed that the leader had destroyed his phones allegedly in an attempt to delete the chat records. CBI had argued that Sisodia was in a position in which he could influence witnesses and destroy evidences. On March 31, a special CBI court had dismissed the bail plea of Sisodia on the ground that he was "prima facie the architect". It stated that evidences collected so far showed his active participation in criminal conspiracy relating to the formulation and implementation of the excise policy. The court had also observed that the bail might effect the ongoing investigations. Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh had said that the party would move Delhi High Court after Sisodia's bail was denied.
Also Read: Excise policy case: Delhi court dismisses Sisodia's bail plea
On March 9, Sisodia was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from Tihar Jail, where he was lodged in connection with the case, which was being investigated by the CBI.
