Delhi excise policy case: CBI Submits Sealed Envelope Status Report, Court Declines Disclosure

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a detailed status report on further investigation in the Delhi Excise policy case on Thursday. The court had directed the CBI to file a detailed status report on the further investigation.

The report was not given to the accused parties’ attorneys by the court. Recorded by Special Judge M K Nagpal, the report was received. The court scheduled a hearing for March 12, 2024, in the interim. A few of the attorneys objected during the hearing to the report being filed under a sealed cover.

The report is not available for public inspection, the court declared. It is unable to divulge the specifics of additional research. According to the attorney, they have a right to be informed about the progress of the investigation and report. The attorneys were instructed by the court to submit their applications in a timely manner—two working days. The status report is not available for public inspection, the court declared. The investigation’s specifics cannot be made public, the court ruled. The accused has been given a week by the court to obtain access to the emails shared by the CBI by requesting the help of an investigation officer or cyber expert.

The attorney requested more time so that she could ask the IO or the cyber expert for help in accessing the emails that the CBI had shared. They stated that they were unable to visit the CBI office because of time constraints. Two new applications that object to the start of arguments on charge until the investigation is finished have been submitted. The CBI was instructed by the court to submit a comprehensive status report on their ongoing investigation into the Delhi Excise policy case on February 5, 2024. The defense attorney objected to partial disclosure regarding the investigation’s status, and this directive was subsequently passed.

They had filed a report stating that the investigation is ongoing and at a crucial stage.
The agency has also stated that the investigation regarding the 16 charge-sheeted accused persons has been completed.
Further investigation is ongoing against only other accused and suspects in the case, the agency had submitted.
The counsel for CBI had submitted that the matter may be fixed for arguments on charges.

Defense attorneys objected, claiming that the status report lacked necessary information. Additionally, it was stated that they had received the translated versions of the documents that were delivered today. They require time to be examined. It was also argued that until the investigation is finished, there is no purpose in arguing. Additionally, the court had ordered the CBI to install software on defense attorneys’ laptops so they could access case files. Manish Sisodia, the leader of the AAP, was brought before the Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday to testify in the Delhi Excise Policy Case.