On Friday, the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court extended the custody of the former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with a money laundering case related to the national capital’s excise policy of 2021-22. The Enforcement Directorate ( ED ) custody of the accused was extended for five more days.
Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister and ex-Finance Minister of Delhi, had been remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until March 17 in connection with a money laundering case related to the excise policy for the year 2021-22.
The Enforcement Directorate alleged that there was a conspiracy to frame the policy in a way that would provide illegal benefits to certain individuals. Sisodia had previously been sent to judicial custody in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case and had been remanded to CBI custody.
Sisodia was produced before the court after the expiry of his seven-day ED custody. Special Judge MK Nagpal passed the order of extension of custody after hearing the ED counsel Zoheb Hossain and Senior Advocates Mohit Mathur and Siddharth Aggarwal, who appeared for Sisodia. The agency was asked to produce Sisodia again before it on March 22.
The Enforcement Directorate counsel informed the court that Sisodia was confronted with several individuals, including the Excise Commissioner and an IAS officer who was present in all Group of Ministers (GoM) meetings. He added that multiple statements of Sisodia were recorded and that he had to be confronted with one of the officials.
Appearing for Sisodia, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur submitted that there is not even a whisper about the aspect of proceeds of crime in the application seeking an extension of remand, which is fundamental for the alleged offence.
ED has alleged that the excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profits of 12% to certain private companies. It has said that such a stipulation was not mentioned in the minutes of GoM meetings.
The CBI stated that Sisodia was arrested as he allegedly gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence. The agency had commenced a second round of questioning. Sisodia was earlier questioned on October 17 last year. Chargesheet in the matter was filed on November 25, 2022.
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.”
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