INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who was arrested for his alleged role in the
money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy.Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma refused to grant
relief to Sisodia, saying he is not entitled to bail at this stage
The High Court also dismissed the bail pleas of businessmen Abhishek Boinpally, Benoy Babu and Vijay Nair, who are co-accused in the money
laundering case.Sisodia, former Delhi deputy chief minister and excise minister, was first arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his
alleged role in the scam and has been in custody since then
The high court has already denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30.He was arrested on March 9 in the case lodged by the ED and is
currently in judicial custody.The high court had on June 2 reserved its order on the bail plea of Sisodia, who has sought bail on various
grounds, including the deteriorating health of his wife who is suffering from multiple sclerosis.The ED has opposed the bail plea of Sisodia
as well as of other accused persons.According to the CBI and ED, which are probing the cases against Sisodia, irregularities were committed
while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to licence holders.Sisodia had challenged the March 31 order of the trial
court which had dismissed his bail plea, saying he was prima facie the "architect" of the alleged 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.The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September
2022 amid allegations of corruption.On May 30, the court had dismissed the bail plea of Sisodia in the excise policy scam being probed by
the CBI, saying he is an influential person who could influence witnesses, who are mostly public servants, and the allegations against him
are very serious in nature.(Inputs from PTI)
