New Delhi: In a significant development in the ongoing Delhi Excise Scam case, former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, appeared before the Rouse Avenue Court on Friday. The court has further extended Sisodia's judicial custody until January 19, 2024.
During the recent court session, an intriguing twist unfolded as the court granted 15 days to Manish Sisodia's legal team to examine pertinent documents at the CBI headquarters. Emphasizing the gravity of the case, the court directed the CBI to deploy necessary officers for the scrutiny of the mentioned documents.
This development comes after the court, in its November 21 hearing, expressed concerns to Sisodia's legal representatives about potential delays in the trial proceedings. Notably, on November 10, the court granted Sisodia permission to visit his ailing wife. On October 30, the Supreme Court declined Manish Sisodia's bail plea.
The legal tussle traces its roots back to April 25, when the CBI filed a supplementary charge sheet in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam case, naming Manish Sisodia as one of the accused. Alongside Sisodia, the supplementary charge sheet included Buchi Babu, Arjun Pandey, and Amandeep Dhall as co-accused. Buchi Babu is identified as the chartered accountant of BRS leader K Kavitha, who is daughter of Telangana former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Sisodia's arrest by the CBI on February 26 marked the commencement of the legal proceedings. The agency had earlier filed the initial charge sheet on November 25, 2022. Subsequently, the court acknowledged the charge sheet on December 15, 2022, framing charges against the accused under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 7, 7A, and 8 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
The first charge sheet led to the court taking cognizance of charges against multiple individuals, including Kuldeep Singh, Narendra Singh, Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpalli, Arun Ramachandra Pillai, Mutthu Gautam, and Sameer Mahendru. The extension of Manish Sisodia's judicial custody signals a prolonged legal battle ahead.
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