Setback to Manish Sisodia: Former Delhi Deputy CM's custody in excise policy case extended till May 31

A Delhi Court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Manish Sisodia, former Deputy Chief Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, and other accused in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam till May 31. The matter will now be heard on May 31, news agency ANI reported.  

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court is scheduled to deliver an order on bail pleas of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in money laundering and corruption cases lodged against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) respectively in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. 

On May 14, the high court had reserved its order on the bail pleas after hearing arguments on behalf of Sisodia, the CBI and the ED. During this hearing, the ED said that it would make the AAP an accused in the next charge sheet in the PMLA case stemming from the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. 

While seeking bail for his client, Sisodia's counsel told the court that the probe agencies are still arresting people in the money laundering and corruption cases and there is no question of early conclusion.

The ED on May 17 filed a charge sheet against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case and also named AAP as an accused. Both the ED and the CBI have opposed Sisodia's bail pleas saying there are concerted efforts by the accused to delay the process of framing charges in the case. 

Sisodia has been in judicial custody since February 26 last year after he was arrested by the CBI. Later, the former Delhi Deputy CM was arrested by the ED. 

According to the probe agencies, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders. The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies have alleged.