Manish Sisodia's CBI custody extended till April 17 in Delhi liquor policy case

A Delhi Court on Monday extended the judicial custody of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by 14 days till April 17 in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Union territory government.

The CBI produced Sisodia in court on Monday and sought extension of his judicial custody, citing that the investigation in the case is at a crucial stage. Accepting the plea, the court sent the AAP heavyweight to judicial remand till April 17.

Last week, Special Judge MK Nagpal denied bail to Sisodia stating that allegations made against him were serious in nature and at this stage of the case, he does not deserve to be released on bail as he was arrested only on February 26 this year.

The judge said that the investigation into Sisodia's role in the case has not yet been completed and the roles of some other co-accused involved in the case are also yet being investigated, news agency ANI reported.

As per the CBI, Sisodia was "prima facie the architect" and played the "most important and vital role" in the criminal conspiracy relating to alleged payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore, meant for him and his colleagues in the Delhi government.

The CBI on February 26 arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers, who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP. The policy was later scrapped and the Delhi LG recommended a CBI probe following which the ED booked a case against the same accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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