New Delhi:
The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in cases related to alleged irregularities in the city government’s excise policy, to explain why he chose to revoke the policy while it was “so good” would be.
Judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma, hearing co-defendant Vijay Nair’s bail application in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged scam, asked the AAP leader’s counsel to “get a definitive answer” to his question.
Mr. Sisodia, among many others, also held the excise portfolio as Deputy Prime Minister.
“If the policy is so good, why did you withdraw it? Get a definitive answer on this,” said the judge, who was told Mr Sisodia, who is currently in Tihar jail, will again request his provisional filed for release.
Mr Sisodia’s counsel argued that the policy was reversed after the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi did not allow liquor sales in “non-compliant” zones, leading to losses. He claimed that sellers were allowed to operate in such areas under the previous policy that had been in place for ten years.
Under the new excise duty policy, each permit holder had to open three stores in each municipality. However, many were branded as non-compliant, where the shops were prevented from opening due to actions by civil society agencies for alleged violations of the Delhi Master Plan.
However, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), claimed that the policy was withdrawn because the accused’s misdeeds had been “exposed”.
Mr. Sisodia’s application for bail in the excise policy money laundering case is pending in court.
According to the CBI and ED, who are investigating the cases against Mr. Sisodia, irregularities have been committed in changing the excise policy and undue favors have been granted to permit holders.
The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021, but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 over corruption allegations.
Under the excise policy, the city was divided into 32 zones in which permits were issued through public tenders to open 849 liquor stores.
The Delhi government decided to allow the opening of two liquor stores with non-compliant areas, which are largely unauthorized colonies.
Counsel for ED and also Sisodia told the court on Thursday that new pleas have been filed on behalf of the AAP leader seeking provisional bail due to his wife’s deteriorating health, likely to be heard on Friday.
On May 24, the court allowed Mr. Sisodia to withdraw his previous requests for provisional bail in both CBI and ED cases.
On May 30, the court rejected Sisodia’s plea for bail in the excise policy scam being investigated by the CBI, saying he is an influential person and the allegations against him are very serious.
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