HC denies bail to Manish Sisodia in Delhi excise policy scam

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy scam being probed by the CBI. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma denied the relief to the AAP leader, who was arrested on February 26, saying the allegations against him are very serious in nature.

The high court, while pronouncing its verdict on the bail plea, said Sisodia is an influential man and the possibility that witnesses could be influenced if he is released on bail cannot be ruled out.

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

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

He is also in custody in a related money laundering case.