A Delhi court issued notices to both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in response to AAP leader Manish Sisodia's plea for interim bail in an excise policy case, allowing him to campaign in the upcoming general elections. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja has directed the central probe agencies to submit their responses by April 20, when the court is likely to take up the application for hearing.
The charges against Sisodia stem from allegations of irregularities in modifying the Delhi excise policy. Both agencies have alleged that undue favours were extended to licence holders, waiving or reducing license fees, and extending licenses without proper authorisation.
According to the CBI and ED, beneficiaries allegedly diverted illicit gains to accused officials and manipulated their accounting records to evade detection.
Sisodia's legal troubles began when he was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, in connection with the aforementioned scam. Subsequently, on March 9, 2023, the ED arrested the AAP leader in a money laundering case linked to the initial CBI FIR. In response to the mounting legal pressure, Sisodia resigned from his position in the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.
Meanwhile, Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi accused the BJP-led central government of plotting a conspiracy to impose the President's Rule in the national capital. She asserted that Arvind Kejriwal's recent arrest is part of this alleged plot to destabilise his government.