New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court issued notice to probe agencies–CBI and ED on Friday on AAP leader Manish Sisodia’s plea seeking relaxation of bail conditions in alleged liquor police irregularities case.
A bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan asked the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate to file a reply on Sisodia’s bail.
Manish Sisodia in his plea has sought relaxation of bail conditions that make him mark his attendance every Monday and Thursday at the police station.
Senior Advocate Abhishek M Singhvi appearing for Sisodia said that Sisodia is a respectable person and has already appeared 60 times. He also apprised the court that no such condition was imposed for any other accused in the matter. He also sought a shorter date for hearing. The court said that it will decide on the application on the next date fixed for hearing.
Earlier the top court granted bail to Sisodia underscoring his deep roots in society and no possibility of fleeing away and observing that conclusion of the trial will take a long time as there are 493 witnesses, thousands of pages of documents and over a lakh pages of digitized documents.
However, the top court imposed various conditions on Sisodia including to surrender his passport with the Special Court and to report to the Investigating Officer every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 AM. The top court also directed that Sisodia shall not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence.
In February 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of now-scrapped Delhi’s new excise policy.
The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the opposition. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody.
According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the said conspiracy.