New Delhi, July 06 (HS). Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court has extended the judicial custody of Delhi Excise Scam accused and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the CBI case till July 15. Special Judge Kaveri Baveja ordered the extension of judicial custody.

Manish Sisodia's judicial custody was ending today, after which he was produced in the court. In this case, the Supreme Court has granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in judicial custody in this case. On March 21, after Arvind Kejriwal did not get protection from arrest from the Delhi High Court, the ED arrested him after questioning late in the evening.i

He said that this is the same day when the world marked the first successful administration of the rabies vaccine by Louis Pasteur. He said that we should work together to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases and ensure a safe, healthy environment for both humans and animals.

It is noteworthy that on July 06, 1885, Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first vaccine against rabies, a deadly zoonotic disease. His work has saved the lives of countless people. Along with this, efforts to prevent and control zoonotic diseases continue to inspire.

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) A Delhi court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of AAP MP Sanjay Singh and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia until January 20.

Singh, who had filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, has been directed by the court to be taken to the Returning Officer to collect the election certificate on January 12 under appropriate security.

Special Judge MK Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court also asked the jail authorities to consider Singh's application sympathetically, requesting a table and chair and permission to carry some books in judicial custody.

Additionally, interim bail was granted to Sarvesh Mishra until the disposal of his regular bail application in the same case, where he is charged alongside Singh.

The court allowed time for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a fresh list of unrelied documents related to the case.

On January 6, the court had allowed Singh to be physically present to file his renomination papers for the forthcoming elections to the Upper House.

A day before, the court had granted permission to Singh to sign forms and documents for his RS renomination.

The judge had directed the jail superintendent to facilitate Singh's visit to the Returning Officer on January 8 and 10 for the submission and scrutiny of his nomination papers.

The court had specified that Singh could remain at the office until the nomination and scrutiny process were complete.

However, the court had imposed restrictions during these visits, prohibiting the use of mobile phone, communication with other accused, suspects, or witnesses in the case, and addressing the press or holding public meetings.

Singh has also been permitted to meet his counsel and family members to facilitate the renomination and scrutiny processes. Singh had filed an application submitting that his current term as a Rajya Sabha member is expiring on January 27.

On Singh seeking direction to the Tihar Jail Superintendent to allow him to sign the documents, the court had passed the order on January 5, saying that the prison superintendent must ensure that Singh's signatures are permitted to be taken on the said documents and he is also permitted to meet his counsel for half-an-hour to discuss the modalities in connection with the filing of his Rajya Sabha renomination.

"It is being directed that if the documents are presented by the counsel for the accused before the jail authorities on January 6, the Jail Superintendent must ensure that the signatures of the accused are permitted," the judge had said.

On January 11, the AAP MP had moved the Delhi High Court, seeking bail in the money laundering case in connection with the alleged excise policy scam.

The move came after Judge Nagpal had, on December 22, dismissed Singh's bail plea. On December 21, the trial court had also extended the AAP leader's judicial custody in the case and had asked the ED to provide a copy of its fifth supplementary charge sheet and related documents to him.

Denying bail to Singh, the judge had said that the evidence demonstrated the accused's involvement in money laundering and that there were reasonable grounds to believe in the guilt based on the connection to proceeds of crime from scheduled offences investigated by the CBI.

The ED had arrested Singh on October 4 after carrying out searches at his residence in the North Avenue area.

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on July 14 the plea moved by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia seeking bail in connection with the corruption and money laundering charges related to the now-scrapped excise policy.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud agreed to list the special leave petition on Friday after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, sought urgent listing of the matter citing the ill health of Sisodia's wife, Seema Sisodia.

"It's a bail matter. The lady (Sisodia's wife) is again being hospitalised for the second time. There is a genuine emergency. If it can be listed on July 14," Singhvi explained to the court. 

The bench agreed to prepone the hearing in the matter and said, "Alright, list on (July) 14th."

The senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader moved the top court last week after the Delhi High Court denied him bail in connection with the money laundering charges being probed by the ED.

On July 3, a division bench of the Delhi High Court refused to grant bail to Sisodia saying that he was not able to meet the twin conditions for grant of bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and the triple test for grant of bail.

In a statement issued by the Enforcement Directorate on Friday, the probe agency said that it has attached assets worth Rs 52.24 crore belonging to arrested AAP leader Minister Manish Sisodia, his wife and some other accused persons in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case.

Earlier, Sisodia was denied bail by the high court in the CBI case relating to the same scam after observing that the allegations against him were very serious.

The ED had arrested Sisodia on March 9, after the CBI arrested him on February 26 this year. In April, Special Judge M.K. Nagpal had denied bail to the AAP leader holding that the evidence, prima facie, "speaks volumes" of his involvement in the commission of the offence. 

The ongoing probe into the Delhi's excise policy scam case has revealed that former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had allegedly generated Rs 622.67 crore Proceeds of Crime (POC) through different modus operandi, sources familiar with the matter said.

New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested for alleged corruption in the now-scrapped Delhi Excise policy scam, on Saturday met his ailing wife at their residence.

The Delhi High Court had, on Friday, allowed him to meet his wife.

As per the High Court order, Sisodia can meet his wife from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. but cannot meet the media or anyone outside his family.

Furthermore, the court has also instructed him to stay away from cell phones and the internet.

Sisodia had moved the interim bail plea through his counsel in both the CBI and ED cases, citing his wife's medical condition as grounds for bail.

The probe agencies have filed charge sheets against the AAP leader in Delhi Excise policy scam.

Earlier, the court had dismissed his bail plea.

New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was on Friday produced before a CBI court here via video conferencing in connection with the Excise Policy scam case.

The CBI had recently filed its first supplementary charge sheet in the case in which Sisodia, along with others, has been made accused.

The court has taken cognizance of the charge sheet.

Sisodia was brought to the lock up of the court room from where he was produced before the judge through video conferencing.

The court directed the CBI to provide copies of the charge sheet and relevant documents to all the accused.

It fixed July 6 as the next date of hearing.

During Friday's proceedings, accused Arjun Pandey sought exemption from appearing in court, citing his inability to attend due to him being outside Delhi.

Sisodia, Pandey, Bucchi Babu Gorantla and Amandeep Dhall have been named as accused in the supplementary charge sheet.

The CBI made Sisodia as accused number one in its FIR lodged under sections 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) and 477-A (Falsification of accounts) of the IPC.

New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday ordered that former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia should only be produced via video conferencing during hearings in the ongoing Delhi Excise Policy scam case due to security issues.

During Thursday's hearing as well, the AAP leader was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court through video conferencing after the Delhi Police's request.

This was however, opposed by Sisodia and his counsel.

The court stated that until a decision is made regarding the Delhi Police's application concerning security, Sisodia will be produced through video conferencing.

It then fixed July 19 as the next date of hearing. Sisodia's judicial custody has also been extended to this date.

The counsel appearing for Sisodia alleged that the AAP leader had been mistreated during his previous appearance.

The counsel told the court that his neck was grabbed and was taken away by the police when he was answering questions of media.

The court raised questions about the behavior of the media and expressed displeasure when there was a gathering of people in the courtroom.

The court said that it will also consider the need of putting a ban on media, if needed.

It said that Sisodia will be allowed to meet his family members and counsel only, and he will not meet any outsider.

When Sisodia was asked by special judge M.K. Nagpal whether he should be presented via video conferencing or in person, the AAP leader replied that he wanted to appear physically in court.

The Delhi Police however, had filed an application requesting Sisodia's appearance through video conferencing. It stated that there was a higher risk to security due to the increased crowd during Sisodia's physical presence.

The court said that anyone can come wearing a lawyer's uniform which can lead to security issues during Sisodia's appearance.

Sisodia said that during physical hearing he could meet his lawyers to discuss various things on this the court said that his lawyers were allowed to meet him in lock up room of the court.

The court has directed the authorities concerned to preserve the CCTV footage of the incident in which Sisodia was allegedly heckled and to produce it on the next date of hearing.

Judge Nagpal after taking cognisance of the ED charge sheet had summoned all the accused, including Sisodia, for today's hearing.

The same court had on May 23 extended his judicial custody for the same date in the ED case.

The ED had arrested Sisodia on March 9, after the CBI arrested him on February 26 this year.

Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta filed the charge sheet, which runs into over 2,100 pages.

Earlier the Delhi High Court had also dismissed Sisodia's bail plea in the excise policy case being probed by the CBI.

The judge said that the nature of the allegations is quite serious that the excise policy was formed at the instance of South Group with mala fide intention to give undue advantage to them.

While denying him bail, the judge also said that Sisodia being an influential person can influence witnesses, who are also public servants.

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) A Delhi court on Monday extended AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's judicial custody till May 23 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED has alleged that Sisodia was the mastermind behind the entire excise policy case and that he had deliberately leaked the policy to the co-accused to generate financial kickbacks.

Sisodia is currently in judicial custody.

The ED had arrested Sisodia on March 9 after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested him on February 26 this year.

Last month, Special CBI Judge M. K. Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court had denied bail to Sisodia, holding that the evidence, prima facie, "speaks volumes" of his involvement in the offence.

Last week, High Court judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma sought the ED's response to Sisodia's bail plea and another application seeking interim bail on the ground of his wife's ill-health and listed the matter for further consideration on May 11.

In the case being probed by the CBI, Delhi court extended Sisodia's judicial custody till May 12.

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) A Delhi court on Friday denied bail to AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), holding that that the evidence, prima facie, "speaks volumes" of his involvement in commission of the offence.

Special Judge M. K. Nagpal denied the relief, noting the "serious nature of allegations made and role played by Sisodia in the criminal conspiracy, his connection with the activities relating to generation or acquisition and use etc of the proceeds of crime and the oral and documentary evidence collected in support of the same".

"Hence, this court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant in this case of economic offences having serious repercussions upon the general public and society at large as the evidence collected during investigation speaks volumes of his involvement in commission of the said offence."

The judge also said that the purported medical condition of Sisodia's wife was not a reason to grant him bail in this case. Additionally, he stated that it was impossible to rule out the potential of Sisodia influencing key witnesses in the case.

The judge noted that the alleged offence against Sisodia was a "serious economic offence of money laundering" and that he has not been accused of committing the offence in his personal capacity, but rather in his official capacity as a public servant overseeing the Excise Ministry and serving as Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister.

"The seriousness or gravity of the offence and its nature or category, the capacity of applicant in which it was committed, the manner of its commission and also certain other factors like impact of the offence as well as the possible impact of release of applicant on society etc. are the factors which go against the applicant and force this court to decide against his release on bail in the present case," the judge said.

Judge Nagpal pronounced the order on Friday after having reserved it on April 18.

The court had, a day before, extended Sisodia's judicial custody by two weeks in the case. On Thursday, the same court extended Sisodia's judicial custody till May 12, in the case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The ED had earlier submitted before the judge that Sisodia had planted fabricated emails to show that there was public approval for the policy.The directions to send these pre-drafted emails were given to Zakir Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minorities' Commission, who then asked his interns to send the emails, the ED claimed.

The probe agency had also said that the 60 days given to complete the investigation against Sisodia are not over yet. It said that it has found fresh evidence indicating Sisodia's involvement in the alleged scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage.

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) A court here on Monday extended former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's judicial custody by two weeks in connection with the excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Before the bench of special judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court, the ED had earlier submitted that Sisodia had planted fabricated e-mails to show that there was a public approval for the policy.

"We have evidence that Sisodia had e-mails planted. These have been received not only in the official e-mail account of the Excise Department but even in his personal e-mail account. The content of the e-mails was given by Sisodia which suited his agenda," the counsel for the ED had told while opposing the bail plea.

"Fabricated e-mails were sent to show that there was a public approval of the policy. This is a sham approvala Illegal ecosystem was created to give benefits to the liquor cartels in lieu of kickbacks."

The ED's special public prosecutor Zoheb Hossain had then told the judge that the agency wanted to show him the case diary.

To this, Sisodia's counsel had said that it should not be done so in secrecy.

"Sealed cover business should go. If something is used against me to deny me my libertya If they are relying on something behind my backa It should be put to me as well," the counsel said.

However, the probe agnecy said that the 60 days to complete the investigation against him are not over yet.

The ED said: "We will put it to you after 60 days."

The court then adjourned the hearing in bail matter for Tuesday.

On April 5, the ED had informed Judge Nagpal that it has found fresh evidence indicating Sisodia's involvement in the alleged excise scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage.

The court had extended AAP leader's custody till April 17 in this case.

On March 21, Sisodia had moved a plea seeking bail plea in ED's case.

After the CBI arrested the AAP leader on February 26, the ED also arrested him in the same case on March 9.

The probe agency had earlier claimed that within a span of one year, 14 phones have been destroyed and changed, and that Sisodia has been evasive from the start.

New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) A Delhi court on Monday extended former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's judicial custody until April 17 in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Courts ordered the AAP leader to be produced before the court on April 17.

The central probe agency had sought the extension of Sisodia's custody as the investigation is at a crucial stage.

On March 31, the court had dismissed former Deputy Chief Minister's bail plea.

While denying him bail, Judge Nagpal had said that Sisodia can, prima facie, be held to be the "architect of the criminal conspiracy".

He observed that the payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore was meant for him and his other colleagues in the AAP government.

"The payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore was meant for him and his other colleagues in the GNCTD and Rs 20-30 crore out of the above are found to have been routed through the co-accused Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally and approver Dinesh Arora and in turn, certain provisions of the excise policy were permitted to be tweaked and manipulated by the applicant to protect and preserve the interests of South liquor lobby and to ensure repayment of the kickbacks to the said lobby," the court held.

The court is not inclined to release Sisodia on bail at this stage of investigation as his release may adversely affect the ongoing investigation and will also seriously hamper the progress, the order stated.

It said that the evidence collected by the probe agency so far shows that the applicant through the co-accused Vijay Nair was in contact with the 'South lobby' and formulation of a favourable policy for them was being ensured at every cost and a cartel was permitted to be formed to achieve monopoly in sale of certain liquor brands of favoured manufacturers and it was permitted to be done against very objectives of the policy.

"Thus, as per allegations made by prosecution and the evidence collected in support thereof so far, the applicant can prima facie be held to be architect of the said criminal conspiracy," the court said.

It held that the allegations made against Sisodia are "serious in nature" and he does not deserve to be released on bail as he was arrested in the CBI case only on February 26 and that the investigation qua his role has still not been completed.

Mere filing of a charge sheet against seven other co-accused in the matter does not matter much in a case like this where deep rooted conspiracy for commission of some economic offences effecting the people at large is alleged to have been committed, the court observed.

It said that the evidence collected so far by the CBI not only shows Sisodia's active participation in the criminal conspiracy, but also the prima facie commission of some substantive offences of the PC Act by him.

"There is also nothing apparent on record to infer or show that arrest of the applicant in this case was illegal or violative of any directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court or the Hon'ble High Courts and rather, the material placed before this court by the CBI justifies the arrest of applicant in the case," the court said.

During the last hearing, one of Sisodia's counsel had said that nothing exceptional was stated by the CBI which would warrant continued custody.

"Nothing on record to show that Sisodia will be threatening the witnesses," the counsel said, arguing that Sisodia has cooperated with the CBI investigation and none of the searches have revealed any incriminating material against him.

The family of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been given five days to vacate their official bungalow on Mathura Road. The residence has been allotted to Atishi, a newly-sworn in Delhi Minister. The Public Works Department (PWD) issued the order, stating that the property must be vacated on or before March 21.

The PWD's decision aligns with the Delhi Administration Allotment of Government Residences (General Pool) Rules, 1977, which govern such allotments. These rules stipulate that an allottee must vacate any previously allotted house within 15 days of taking possession of a new one. Allottees are also required to submit a Clearance Certificate from the concerned DDO for recovery of license fees and water charges related to their previous accommodation.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh defended the decision, stating that Atishi is a minister and therefore entitled to the bungalow. Singh added that the AAP would take care of Sisodia, accusing the BJP of treating him like a terrorist and playing games. In response, BJP IT in-charge Amit Malviya criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for removing Sisodia as minister while retaining Satyendar Jain, who had been jailed for nine months. Malviya questioned the decision to allocate the bungalow to Atishi instead of looking after Sisodia and his family as promised.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR against former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, along with unknown others, under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with a 'snooping' matter.

The case is linked to the alleged creation of the Aam Aadmi Party's Feedback Unit (FBU), which was approved by a cabinet decision on September 29, 2015.

The mandate of the FBU was to collect actionable feedback on the workings of various departments and conduct trap cases.

The FIR alleges that the unit was created, staffed, and incentivised out of public exchequer in an irregular manner by Sisodia, Sukesh Jain (then Secretary Vigilance), and others in violation of rules and regulations and without mandatory approvals, by abuse of their official position, with a dishonest intention to utilise the FBU for purposes other than those for which it was manifestly created.