Liquor Policy: Manish Sisodia Withdraws Applications Seeking Interim Bail From Delhi High Court In CBI, ED Cases

Former Delhi Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday withdrew the applications seeking interim bail in the cases alleging corruption and money laundering in implementation of previous liquor policy in national capital. The request for withdrawal was made before the Delhi High Court. 

"Since the order on the main bail application [in the CBI Case] has been reserved and the fact that the condition of wife of the petitioner is stable, he does not want to present interim bail application ... ," Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma recorded in the order.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said he had earlier argued suppression as it was not mentioned in the application that the wife was discharged. He added that applications were being withdrawn due to his contention regarding suppression. "This is not a simple withdrawal," Raju said. 

The court, while recording Raju's statement that "certain submissions were made regarding suppression of facts", said that without going into any of such contention, the application is dismissed as withdrawn. 

Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, while resuming arguments in Sisodia's regular bail plea in the money laundering case, said general rule is bail has to be granted. 

“For any court to say that because twin conditions are there, therefore bail is denied and grant is an exception is wrong," Mathur said, adding that bail should not be denied just because Section 45 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act is there.

Mathur also said that conjectures and surmises of prosecution cannot make a case. 

Sisodia's counsel will continue arguments on Friday. The Enforcement Directorate is expected to start arguments on May 29. 

Earlier this month, the court had reserved judgment in Sisodia’s plea seeking regular bail in the CBI case. 

The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on February 26 after an interrogation of more than 8 hours. He was named as an accused in the FIR. It is the case of the probe agency that there were alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy for the year 2021-22.

The CBI alleged that Sisodia was arrested as he gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence.

The CBI FIR states that Sisodia and others were instrumental in “recommending and taking decisions” regarding the excise policy 2021-22 “without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licensee post tender.”

On the other hand, ED has alleged that the excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12% to certain private companies. It has said that such a stipulation was not mentioned in the minutes of meetings of Group of Ministers (GoM).

The agency has also claimed that there was a conspiracy which was coordinated by Vijay Nair and other individuals along with South Group to give extraordinary profit margin to wholesalers. Nair was acting on behalf of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, according to the agency.