Delhi High Court allows Manish Sisodia to meet wife tomorrow but no interaction with media
The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered that Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is in judicial custody in relation to the Delhi excise policy scam, shall be allowed to meet his wife from 10 am to 5 pm tomorrow (June 3).
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, however, clarified that Sisodia should not interact with the media in any manner or meet anyone else except his family. He will also not have access to phone or the internet.
"Enforcement Directorate (ED) shall furnish a status report in the interim bail plea by tomorrow evening," the Court added.
The Court also reserved its verdict in the plea Sisodia moved today seeking interim bail citing his wife's medical condition.
Order was also reserved in the regular bail plea filed by Sisodia in the case registered by the ED arising from a money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.
The plea for interim bail was opposed by the ED.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for ED, submitted that Sisodia can visit his wife under a police escort.
"He held 18 portfolios as minister and did not have time to visit his wife. Now he is creating all these grounds to get bail," the ASG said.
He added that Sisodia had withdrawn his interim bail plea only a few days ago and now he has approached the Court with a similar plea.
"Four days back they withdrew the plea. Now they have come back again. There has been no change in his wife's condition... only cosmetic change."
In the ED case, a special court had denied bail to Sisodia on April 28. An appeal against the same was reserved for judgment today.
Earlier on May 30, the High Court had denied bail to Sisodia in the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the same scam.
Justice Sharma had ruled that Sisodia is a powerful person and could influence witnesses if released on bail.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in the liquor policy case on February 26. Subsequently, he was arrested by the ED on March 9.
It has been alleged that Sisodia and other members of the AAP connived to grant liquor licenses to certain traders in exchange for bribes.
The central agencies' case is that the excise policy was tweaked and the profit margins were changed in a manner that benefited certain traders and kickbacks were received in exchange for the same.
The ED and the CBI registered cases in relation to the alleged scam after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe based on a report by the Delhi Chief Secretary. The report claimed that Sisodia violated statutory provisions and notified a policy that had significant financial implications.
AAP has denied the allegations and maintained that Sisodia is innocent.
It is Sisodia's stance that the policy and the changes made in it were approved by the LG and that CBI is now going after the policy decisions of an elected government.
He further said that, till now, neither the CBI nor the ED have been able to trace any kickbacks to him.