Manish Sisodia accused no. In Delhi Liquor Policy case 1. (File)
New Delhi:
A Delhi court on Saturday ruled that Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s former deputy chief minister, will remain in CBI custody for at least two more days.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader, who is being probed over the now scrapped Delhi liquor sale policy, has applied for bail and his plea will now be considered on Friday.
Special Judge MK Nagpal directed the CBI to produce the Aam Aadmi Party leader before the court on Monday.
The CBI had sought three more days of Sisodia’s custody after producing him in the court after the expiry of his three-day remand.
In his bail request, Manish Sisodia said that keeping him in custody “will not serve any worthwhile purpose” as all the seizures have already been made in the case.
Mr Sisodia’s counsel said the “inability of the agency” to complete the probe cannot be a ground for remand, and he cannot be asked to incriminate himself.
After the order was pronounced, Mr. Sisodia told the court that though the CBI was treating him well in its custody, the repeated questioning was causing mental harassment.
After this, the court asked the CBI not to ask him the same question.
Mr Sisodia is facing allegations of corruption in formulating the liquor policy for the national capital, which was scrapped after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena flagged it for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The 51-year-old was arrested by the CBI on Sunday. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on Tuesday.
A day after his arrest, Sisodia challenged the CBI’s move in the Supreme Court.
The court, however, told him that he should have moved the High Court, following which Mr. Sisodia withdrew his application and said he would move the lower court.
Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force and Central Reserve Police Force have been deployed outside the CBI headquarters for the hearing.
AAP supporters staged a sit-in outside the campus and raised slogans.