“No fruitful purpose would be served keeping me in custody”: Sisodia in bail plea

Former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia stated in his bail petition in a trial court that keeping him in custody would be futile because all recoveries had already been made.

Sisodia also stated that he has participated in the investigation as needed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The bail for the other accused in this case has already been granted. Sisodia went on to say that he holds the important constitutional position of Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and has deep roots in the community. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently arrested Sisodia for alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of GNCTD’s excise policy.

MK Nagpal, the Special Judge, will hear this bail application today. Sisodia is also scheduled to appear in court on Saturday, at the end of his remand period, which expires on February 27, 2023.

While sending Sisodia to CBI remand on Monday, Rouse Avenue Court directed that the accused’s interrogation during the remand period be conducted at a location with CCTV coverage in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines, and that the footage be preserved by the CBI.

Sisodia was arrested last Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of GNCTD’s excise policy.

While remanding Sisodia to the CBI, the trial court noted that while the accused had previously joined the investigation of this case on two occasions, he had also failed to provide satisfactory answers to most of the questions put to him during his examination and interrogation, and thus had failed to legitimately explain the incriminating evidence which had allegedly surfaced against him in the investigation conducted thus far.

Some of his subordinates have been found to have disclosed certain facts that can be interpreted as incriminating against him, and some documentary evidence against him has already surfaced. A proper and fair investigation requires that some genuine and legitimate answers to the questions being put to him about the same be found, and thus, in the considered opinion of this court, this can only be done during the accused’s custodial interrogation, noted the court.