Excise policy scam: Delhi High Court denies bail to AAP's Manish Sisodia in CBI case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied/granted bail to senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. .Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma ruled that Sisodia is a powerful person and could influence witnesses if released on bail."The allegations are very serious in nature. The accused was a public servant... We have not examined the excise policy nor the power of the government. However, the applicant being a powerful person, there is the possibility of him influencing the witnesses," the Court said..A trial court in Delhi had rejected Sisodia's bail plea on March 31.In a detailed order, special CBI judge MK Nagpal had prima facie held that the former excise minister played the most important and vital role in the criminal conspiracy related to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy case.This led to the present appeal before the High Court..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 has bee able to trace any kickbacks to him. In the ED case too, the special court had denied bail to Sisodia on April 28. Appeal against the same is pending before the High Court..Manish Sisodia played most important role in Delhi Excise Policy case: Delhi court while denying bail