Delhi HC rejects Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in Excise Policy case

The Delhi High Court rejected bail plea of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, noting there are “serious allegations of misconduct” against him.

The Delhi High Court on May 30 rejected bail plea of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, noting there are “serious allegations of misconduct” against him.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said that statement of the concerned excise officers have been relied upon by the CBI in connection with its probe into the case.

Also read | Sisodia withdraws interim bail pleas from HC after wife’s health improves

“There are serious allegations of misconduct against Mr Sisodia. He being an influential person and the witnesses being mostly public servants, the possibility of witnesses being influenced cannot be ruled out,” Justice Sharma said.

“In view of the circumstances, this court is of the view that Mr Sisodia is not entitled to bail,” the judge said rejecting the bail plea of the senior AAP leader.

The CBI had arrested Mr. Sisodia for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 on February 26 following several rounds of questioning.

On March 31, a trial court here had dismissed Mr. Sisodia’s bail plea in the matter, saying he was “prima facie the architect” and had played the “most important and vital role” in the criminal conspiracy related to alleged payment of advance kickbacks of ₹90-100 crore meant for him and his colleagues in the Delhi government.