Liquor Policy: Delhi High Court Allows Manish Sisodia To Meet His Wife For One Day, Bars Him From Interacting With Media Or Using Phone

The Delhi High Court on Friday allowed Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to meet his wife for one day tomorrow and ordered that he shall not interact with media or use his mobile phone.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma passed the order in Sisodia's application seeking interim bail in the money laundering case concerning the implementation of previous liquor policy in national capital. The interim relief was sought in view of the poor health condition of Sisodia’s wife.

The court today reserved judgment in the regular bail plea filed by Sisodia in the ED case. AAP leader’s interim bail in CBI case has been kept pending and is now listed for hearing in July.

Granting interim relief to Sisodia, the court directed him to meet his wife tomorrow between 10 AM and 5 PM.

Justice Sharma however barred Sisodia from interacting with the press or use mobile phone or access internet. The court also said that Sisodia will not meet any other individual, except his family members.

Sisodia had previously also filed interim bail applications in both the cases but withdrew them later in view of the fact that the condition of his wife was stable.

Justice Sharma recently denied bail to Sisodia in the CBI case.

The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on February 26 after an interrogation of more than 8 hours. He was named as an accused in the FIR. It is the case of the probe agency that there were alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy for the year 2021-22.

The CBI alleged that Sisodia was arrested as he gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence.

The CBI FIR states that Sisodia and others were instrumental in “recommending and taking decisions” regarding the excise policy 2021-22 “without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licensee post tender.”

On the other hand, ED has alleged that the excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12% to certain private companies. It has said that such a stipulation was not mentioned in the minutes of meetings of Group of Ministers (GoM).

The agency has also claimed that there was a conspiracy which was coordinated by Vijay Nair and other individuals along with South Group to give extraordinary profit margin to wholesalers. Nair was acting on behalf of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, according to the agency.

Title: Manish Sisodia v. ED