NEW DELHI: A special court on Tuesday denied bail to former chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with a case probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy 2021-22.
Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja, who concluded the hearing on Sisodia’s second bail application on April 20, rejected the plea on Tuesday. A detailed court order on the petition is awaited.
CBI had opposed Sisodia’s plea, arguing that his request didn’t satisfy the triple test laid down by the top court for grant of bail. According to this doctrine, an accused may be granted bail if it is established that he is not a flight risk, will not influence witnesses and will not tamper with the evidence.
Sisodia sought bail on the ground that he has been detained for over 11 months and has not been implicated in the alleged offence and that there was a delay in the commencement of trial in the case.
Senior advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Sisodia, earlier argued that there has been no significant progress in the trial even though four and a half months have elapsed since Sisodia’s bail was dismissed by the Supreme Court, in October 2023, when an assurance was given that the trial would conclude within 6-8 months.
Mathur also pointed out that both CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted that they have completed their probe against Sisodia and since his arrest, there has been no significant progress in the trial, and he cannot be incarcerated indefinitely.
Opposing the submissions, CBI averred that Sisodia does not satisfy the triple test for granting bail. It was highlighted that Sisodia was an influential person in the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government.
It was also alleged that there have been instances where he destroyed mobile phones and a file containing crucial evidence was found to be missing, which was yet to be recovered.
CBI also claimed that Sisodia was the kingpin and the person on whose directions the alleged officials acted while formulating and implementing the policy.
Arguing on the aspect of delay, ED submitted that the delay in the trial of the case was not caused by the prosecution but by the accused persons.
Sisodia was arrested by CBI on February 26, 2023, and ED arrested him on March 9, 2023 while he was in judicial custody,
Sisodia had earlier moved a bail application before the court in ED case, which was dismissed on April 28, 2023, while his bail application in the CBI case was dismissed on March 31, 2023. He then approached the Delhi high court challenging the orders of the trial court, but his bail application in ED case was dismissed on July 3, 2023, and his bail application in CBI case on May 30, 2023.
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