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New Delhi: On Wednesday, Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been sent to judicial custody till April 5 in the liquor policy scam case. Special ED CBI Judge MK Nagpal sent Sisodia to judicial custody in Rouse Avenue Court. Sisodia was produced in the Rouse Avenue court today after the 5-day ED remand ended.
Apart from this, Manish Sisodia gave application for some more books to read in jail. The court said that the books they want will be given. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in the case. A few days later, he was arrested after interrogation by the ED in the jail itself.The hearing at the Rouse Avenue Court today took place in a case registered by the ED.
ED has registered a case against Manish Sisodia under sections of money laundering in the liquor scam case. Manish Sisodia is accused of benefiting his close friends with excise policy. The ED has stated in its charge sheet that the license fee of Rs 144.36 crore was waived off for the companies selling liquor to compensate for the losses incurred during the Corona period.
Apart from this, proposals were passed in an arbitrary manner in the cabinet without circulating the agenda and cabinet notes. Earlier on Tuesday, March 21, a special court hearing was held regarding the case registered by the CBI against Sisodia. During the hearing, the CBI counsel opposed Sisodia’s bail and said that repeated phone switching by Manish Sisodia was not an innocent act, but was done to destroy evidence.
Advocate DP Singh, appearing in court on behalf of the CBI, said that Manish Sisodia destroyed his phones because he wanted to destroy the chats. This is a serious matter and cannot be ignored.
During the hearing, the CBI counsel also gave several other information to the court. Special Public Prosecutor Advocate DP Singh said that Sisodia was the mastermind of the entire scam. Blacklisted firm Indosprit was given the license because Sisodia was strongly advocating its inclusion. After his lobbying, the firm was finally granted a license.
Actually Arvind Kejriwal government of Delhi had implemented new excise policy on 17 November 2021. The Delhi government had argued to end the mafia rule by bringing a new excise policy. It was also claimed that this would also increase the revenue of the government. In July 2022, the then Chief Secretary of Delhi submitted a report to LG VK Saxena in this matter. In this along with the mistake in the excise policy, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was also accused of giving undue benefits to liquor traders.
Based on this report, the CBI registered a case against 15 people including Sisodia on 17 August 2022. On August 22, the ED had registered a case of money laundering under the excise policy. CBI arrested Sisodia after 6 months of investigation.
