No Relief For Manish Sisodia Yet, SC Defers Bail Hearing In Excise Policy Cases To September

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred the hearing for September 4 on the interim bail pleas of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in two Delhi excise policy cases being probed by the CBI and ED. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti perused the medical records of Sisodia's wife, and said she is "fairly stable" and, therefore, it will consider the interim bail pleas of former deputy chief minister along with regular bail pleas in the cases.

Sisodia has sought interim bail on grounds of his wife's ill health.

On July 14, the top court had sought responses of the CBI and the ED on the interim bail pleas of Sisodia in the cases.

Sisodia, who held the excise portfolio among the many that he handled as the deputy chief minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 for his alleged role in the "scam". He has been in custody since then.

The ED arrested him in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar Jail.

Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.

The high court had denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30, saying having been the deputy chief minister and excise minister, he is a "high-profile" person who has the potential to influence the witnesses.

On July 3, the high court had declined him bail in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy, holding that the charges against him are "very serious in nature".

In its May 30 order, the high court had said since Sisodia was at the "helm of affairs" when the alleged scam took place, he cannot say he had no role to play.

The high court had said with his party still in power in the national capital, Sisodia, who once held 18 portfolios, continues to wield influence, and since the witnesses are mostly public servants, the possibility of their getting influenced cannot be ruled out.

According to the two federal investigative agencies, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to licence holders.