Delhi excise policy case: Court extends AAP leader Manish Sisodia's ED custody by five days

The ED told the court that crucial information had come up during Sisodia's custody and he had to be confronted with other accused persons.
Manish Sisodia. (Photo | Parveen Negi)
Manish Sisodia. (Photo | Parveen Negi)

NEW DELHI: A special PMLA court at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue extended the remand of Delhi’s former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia by five days in connection with the investigation into the laundering of kickback money which was generated through tweaks made in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 against alleged advance payment of Rs 100 crores by the liquor traders of the South Group – the beneficiary of the scam.   

Seeking his custody for seven days, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the role of Sisodia who approved and implemented the Policy as the Finance Minister, submitted before the court that there are certain fresh revelations that have come up and there are some aspects which cannot be disclosed openly adding the information was sensitive to the case.  

Stating that the forensic data, mobile data and cloud data containing information pertaining to the case have been sourced, the agency submitted that the material is being analysed and the accused in custody needs to be confronted with relevant portions. The investigating team is going through around 1.23 lakh emails, the ED counsel told the court.

The ED also informed the court that the change of 5% profit margin to 12% was also being probed. 

The ED told the court that crucial information had come up during Sisodia's custody and he had to be confronted with other accused persons. These included former excise commissioner Rahul Singh, Dinesh Arora and Amit Arora.

The former Delhi deputy chief minister had also to be confronted with his former secretary C Arvind, the ED said. C Arvind is not an accused in the case.

The probe agency also told the court that voluminous data from Sisodia's email and mobile, etc. is also being forensically analysed.

The agency also submitted before the court that investigations with respect to Sisodia abruptly changing the mobile phone which he was using for nearly 8 months on July 22, 2022, “the same day when LG forwarded the complaint to CBI”. Though Sisodia maintained that phone was damaged, the ED said the matter was being probed considering the “timing” of the incident.

Opposing the federal probe agency's plea, Sisodia's lawyer said there is not a whisper from the agency regarding the proceeds of the crime, which is fundamental to the case.

He further said there is no justification for the extension of custody and Sisodia was confronted only with four people during his earlier seven-day custody.

Sisodia was arrested by the ED on March 9, after questioning him for three days in the premises of the Tihar Jail, on grounds that there was ample material to confront him with evidence, accused and statements to seek his responses with respect to the proofs and facts on record.  Sisodia is also likely to be confronted with BRS leader K Kavitha who has been summoned again by the ED on March 20.

The CBI arrested Sisodia on February 26.

(With inputs from PTI)

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