Excise 'scam': ED accuses Manish Sisodia of delaying trial, opposes bail plea

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged before a court here on Saturday that AAP leader Manish Sisodia and other accused were delaying the trial in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy 'scam'.

Opposing Sisodia's bail plea before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, the agency also claimed that he was responsible for drafting the policy and advance kickbacks of Rs 100 crore were received by him and other members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The AAP leader had approached the court for relief, claiming that there was a delay in starting the trial.

The central probe agency claimed that the 'delay' was caused not by the prosecution but by the accused.

"The delay in the trial of the case has not been caused by the prosecution but by the accused persons. Concerted efforts were made on the part of the accused persons, including Sisodia, to delay the trial in the case," the ED told the court in response to his second bail plea.

The judge, meanwhile, extended the judicial remand of Sisodia till April 18 after he was produced before the court on the expiry of his custody.

During the proceedings, Sisodia's co-accused and party colleague, Sanjay Singh, who was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court, also appeared before the court.

The ED claimed that a total of 95 applications have been filed by the accused seeking similar prayers, of which six have been filed by Sisodia.

It submitted that frivolous applications have been filed by the accused involved in the case, for which costs have also been imposed by the predecessor judge.

The judge will further hear the arguments on April 10.

The CBI as well as the ED have alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, licence fee was waived or reduced and licences were extended without the competent authority's approval.

The beneficiaries allegedly diverted 'illegal' gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies have alleged.

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, for his alleged role in the 'scam'. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023.

He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.