Delhi excise 'scam': Court issues notice to ED, CBI on Manish Sisodia's plea for interim bail

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday issued notice to the ED and the CBI on AAP leader Manish Sisodia's plea seeking interim bail in excise cases for campaigning in general elections.

Special Judge for the CBI and ED, Kaveri Baweja, directed the central probe agencies to file their replies by April 20, when the court is likely to take up the application for hearing.

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.

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