Manish Sisodia's bail plea dismissed by Delhi court in liquor excise policy case

Manish Sisodia's bail plea dismissed by Delhi court in liquor excise policy case

In a setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia, a Delhi court has dismissed his bail plea in the liquor excise policy case. Sisodia, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was arrested last week on charges of conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

The case pertains to the alleged irregularities in the Delhi government's liquor excise policy, which was implemented in 2019. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had raised questions over the policy, alleging that it had caused a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore to the state exchequer.

Sisodia was arrested by the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) last week, after he failed to appear before the agency for questioning. The AAP leader had sought bail on the grounds that he was being falsely implicated in the case and that he had cooperated with the investigation.

However, the court rejected Sisodia's plea, stating that "the seriousness of the offence cannot be ignored." The court also noted that Sisodia held a "high position" in the Delhi government and that "he is likely to influence the witnesses and tamper with the evidence."

Sisodia's arrest has triggered a political row in Delhi, with the AAP accusing the central government of using the Delhi Police to target its leaders. The party has also claimed that the charges against Sisodia are baseless and politically motivated.

The case is now set to go to trial, and Sisodia is likely to remain in custody until the trial is completed.