Delhi HC denies bail to Sisodia, others in excise policy case

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Monday denied bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in the 2021-22 excise policy case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

A bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said that Sisodia was not able to meet the twin conditions for grant of bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and the triple test for grant of bail.

High Court observed that the order of the special judge M K Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court denying bail to Sisodia was well reasoned and does not hold any illegality or infirmity. 

“Learned Special Judge has passed a reasoned order on the basis of the material available on record. This court has also rejected the bail application of the accused... titled as Manish Sisodia v. CBI dated May 30, 2023,” Justice Sharma said.

The probe agency had arrested Sisodia on March 9, after CBI had arrested him on February 26.

Justice Sharma also denied bail to co-accused persons Hyderabad businessman Abhishek Boinpally, AAP’s communications incharge Vijay Nair and General Manager of Pernod Ricard India Benoy Babu. 

The court said that the allegations against Nair are serious, he was a close associate Sisodia and that there is no infirmity in the trial court order which rejected his bail plea, too. 

Sisodia was denied bail by the high court in the CBI case also on observing that the allegations are very serious.