Court extends Manish Sisodia's judicial custody till May 8 in ED case

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) A local court on Friday extended the judicial custody of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia till May 8 in connection with a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) related to the alleged excise policy scam.

On Wednesday, the same court extended Sisodia's judicial custody till May 7 in a parallel case in the same matter being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Last week, Sisodia withdrew his interim bail plea to campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Sisodia was produced before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court on the expiry of his previously extended judicial custody on Friday.

The court had last time reserved its judgement for April 30 on the regular bail plea moved by Sisodia, who has sought bail in the cases being probed by both the CBI and the ED.

Earlier, the ED had accused Sisodia and the other accused persons of delaying the trial in the case.

To back his bail plea, Sisodia's counsel advocate Mohit Mathur has argued against the delay in completing the probe, claiming that no evidence has been found linking his client to the alleged bribe money in the case.

He argued that the alleged proceeds of crime were not proven to cause any loss to the exchequer or the private consumers. The counsel also stressed the delay in the trial, stating that the Supreme Court's order allowing Sisodia to approach the court is six-month old, and the investigation should have been completed by now.

Citing the bail granted to another accused in the case, Benoy Babu, Mathur had argued for his bail, arguing that Sisodia no longer holds a position of influence.