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The Supreme Court is set to hear the bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia regarding the Delhi excise policy scam on June 4.

 

Sisodia's pleas, challenging the Delhi High Court's rejection of his bail petitions in cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), will be heard by a vacation bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta on June 3.

 

Last week, the Delhi High Court dismissed Sisodia's bail pleas in money laundering and corruption cases related to the excise policy for 2021-22. High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, while denying bail, remarked that Sisodia had failed to establish grounds for bail.

 

The court emphasised the seriousness of the charges, labelling them as a misuse of power and a breach of public trust, particularly given Sisodia's position as Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi.

 

The High Court's verdict highlighted allegations that Sisodia had tampered with crucial evidence, including electronic evidence. It described him as a powerful figure within the Delhi government, responsible for multiple portfolios, including the Department of Excise.

 

The investigation revealed indications that Sisodia manipulated the process of formulating the excise policy, allegedly fabricating public feedback to align with his own agenda.

 

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, and subsequently by the ED on March 9, 2023, in connection with the excise policy "scam" and a related money laundering case. Both agencies alleged irregularities in the modification of the excise policy and favouritism towards licence holders.

 

The excise policy, implemented by the Delhi government on November 17, 2021, was terminated by the end of September 2022 amidst corruption accusations.

 

Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023, amid mounting legal troubles. His bail pleas have now reached the Supreme Court, marking another chapter in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the Delhi excise policy case.