CBI – Delhi excise case
Opposing the bail plea of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday submitted in a city court that more “high-profile persons” could be arrested in connection with the Del- hi excise policy case.
Mr. Sisodia had applied for regular bail again in the Rouse Avenue court earlier this month after being de- nied bail on multiple occa- sions by the court, the Del- hi High Court and even the Supreme Court. His coun- sel alleged that the Central agency was delaying the trial as the arguments on the chargesheet were not yet complete.
The CBI, however, ar- gued that the investigation in the case was ongoing and if given bail, Mr. Siso- dia – one of the main ac- cused in the conspiracy –could tamper with the evi- dence. “Our investigation is ongoing. Some high-pro- file person or anyone else may be arrested,” the agen- cy’s counsel said.
The Supreme Court, while denying him bail last year, had granted him li- berty to move for bail with- in three months if the trial was delayed. The apex court, in its order, also not- ed that there was tentative establishment of a money trail of around ₹338 crore in the case.
The CBI arrested the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister in February 2023 over allegations of irregu- larities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped 2021-22 ex- cise policy. After the CBI case, the ED filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency alleged that the money earned through the excise policy was diverted through “hawala” channels and spent on the AAP’s campaign in Goa ahead of the State Assembly elections there in 2022
Last week, the ED ar- rested Bharat Rashtra Sa- mithi legislator K. Kavitha in the same case under al- legations that she played a key role in lobbying for a “south group” of liquor manufacturers to get li- cence in Delhi.