Yesterday, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court extended the judicial custody of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia till May 12 in connection with the liquor policy case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Earlier CBI had filed its chargesheet naming Manish Sisodia as an accused.
The court noted that as per the CBI, further investigation is still pending with respect to the larger conspiracy and money trail involved. The court then recorded the CBI’s statement that said the investigation qua Sisodia is complete.
However, Sisodia’s lawyer argued the CBI has not announced that the investigation into Manish Sisodia is completed, even 60 days after his arrest to make him eligible for default or statutory bail.
Sisodia’s lawyer Advocate Rishikesh said that the CBI should therefore provide a copy of the chargesheet to Manish Sisodia.
The court further noted that even though this was not the forum for supplying copies of a chargesheet, it still directed the investigation officer (IO) of the probe agency to give Sisodia's lawyer a copy of the chargesheet because Manish Sisodia's bail application is already being heard before the Delhi High Court.
The chargesheet copy was sought by Sisodia’s lawyer to determine if the investigation of him is completed, so they can decide on his eligibility with regard to his default bail.
Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in the CBI case is pending before the Delhi HC.
CBI on Wednesday while opposing the Bail plea, told the Delhi HC that Manish Sisodia will engage in arm-twisting of witnesses in the liquor policy case and attempt to turn them hostile if he is released on bail.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for the CBI, told the court that Sisodia is “capable of pressurising people.”
Sisodia was arrested by the ED on March 9 in connection with the money laundering charges in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy. At the time, the former Delhi deputy CM was already lodged in Tihar jail after he was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in connection with the alleged irregularities and corruption in the formulation and implementation of the policy.
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