NEW DELHI: AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia approached the Delhi high court on Monday, challenging a trial court’s decision to take cognisance of the ED’s chargesheet in the alleged excise policy scam.
The plea, heard by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, argued that the ED failed to secure mandatory sanction for Sisodia’s prosecution, as required by law. The bench has sought the ED’s response and scheduled the next hearing for December 20, coinciding with a similar petition filed by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Representing Sisodia, Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhri contended that the chargesheet, labeled as a supplementary prosecution complaint, violated established legal precedents due to the absence of sanction approval from competent authorities.
The plea argued that the accusations stem from actions taken by Sisodia in his official capacity as a public servant. The petition further claimed that the trial court’s decision to take cognizance of the chargesheet without verifying the sanction contradicted legal requirements.
“This renders the prosecution of the petitioner legally untenable and invalid,” the plea said, urging the HC to quash all proceedings related to the case.
In August, the SC granted Sisodia bail in two related cases filed by the CBI and the ED, involving allegations of money laundering and corruption. However, Sisodia’s challenges continue, as he remains at the center of the excise policy controversy that has rocked Delhi’s political landscape.
Senior Advocate Zoheb Hossain represented the ED in Monday’s hearing, maintaining the chargesheet’s validity. The ED has alleged that the excise policy caused financial losses to the state exchequer while benefiting private liquor distributors. Sisodia was arrested in February 2023 and has faced multiple legal battles over the charges.