New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy scam being probed by the CBI, saying he is an influential man and the allegations against him are “very serious” in nature.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma denied the relief to the AAP leader, who was arrested on February 26, saying he has held the post of the deputy chief minister with 18 portfolios and the possibility of witnesses being influenced cannot be ruled out.
“In view of the discussion made, the allegations are very serious in nature that the excise policy was formed at the instance of the South group with malafide intention to give undue advantage to them. Such an act points towards the misconduct of the applicant who was admittedly a public servant and was holding a very high position,” the high court said.
It said it has neither examined the excise policy in the present proceedings nor the government’s power regarding framing of the economic policy.
It said the court has also not examined the administrative decisions of the government.
“However, since there are serious allegations of misconduct against Sisodia, he being an influential person and having held the position of deputy chief minister with 18 portfolios and the witnesses mostly being public servants, there is a possibility of witnesses being influenced cannot be ruled out,” the high court said.
In the facts and circumstances of the case, this court is of the considered view that the petitioner is not entitled to bail, the judge said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested Sisodia for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 following several rounds of questioning.
PTI
Delhi excise policy scam: HC denies bail to Sisodia, says allegations serious in nature
