New Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, in a CBI case related to alleged corruption in the implementation of the previous liquor policy in the national capital.

The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma denied bail to Sisodia and said that the applicant (Sisodia) being a powerful person, there is the possibility of him influencing the witnesses.

During arguments, the CBI had opposed the bail plea moved by Manish Sisodia and stated, "The applicant (Sisodia) enjoys close nexus with the executive, offices and bureaucrats and his influence and clout is evident. His party colleagues holding high ranks continue to make factually wrong claims in order to influence the investigation and also claiming the applicant to be a victim of a political vendetta."

A perusal of the said statements by this political leader (s) during the press conferences would reveal how the entire efforts of not only the Applicant but his party colleagues as a whole are to shield the accused, stated CBI in its reply opposing bail plea of Sisodia, CBI said.

The statements also undermine the authority of the Special Judge (CBI), having already taken cognizance of the offences, and are being made to adversely impact the investigation by levelling unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegations against the CBI, thereby influencing and deterring the witnesses of the case said the CBI.

CBI in its reply filed in Delhi High Court stated that any release of the Applicant on bail shall gravely prejudice the investigation herein, more specifically when the Applicant fails to meet the 'triple test' for bail. While personal liberty is paramount, the same is not absolute but subject to reasonable restrictions, including the interest of the state and the public.

During the arguments earlier, Manish Sisodia through Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan submitted that the Central Bureau of Investigation has no evidence to show his involvement in the alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Government.

The lawyer submitted that every accused in the CBI case has been released on bail except Sisodia. Sisodia was arrested on February 26, 2023, more than 6 months after the Registration of FIR in the matter. And during the entirety of said investigation of 6 months before the arrest of the applicant, there was not a single that Applicant extended any threat to any witness.

Sisodia in his bail stated that the possibility of a threat to witness cannot be said to arise without there being any material or antecedents of the Applicant. The witnesses in this case against the applicant are primarily civil servants, over whom the Applicant exercises no control, especially now since he has resigned from his official post.

Earlier the Delhi HC had issued notice to CBI on a bail plea moved by Manish Sisodia challenging a trial court order denying bail to him in a CBI case related to Excise.

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Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, and is presently in Judicial custody. His bail plea was rejected on March 31, 2023, by the trial Court in the case.