Today, a Delhi court decided to defer its decision on the bail plea submitted by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Sisodia had been arrested last year in relation to the Delhi excise policy case.

Sisodia has applied for bail in both the cases filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Special Judge (PC Act) Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court has stated that the decision on the bail plea will be announced on April 30. Since February 26, 2023, Sisodia has been in custody, undergoing investigation by both the CBI and the ED regarding the Delhi excise policy case.

The case revolves around allegations suggesting collusion among Delhi government officials to unlawfully issue liquor licenses to specific traders in return for bribes. It is claimed that the accused officials manipulated the excise policy to favor certain liquor vendors.

Significantly, Sisodia had previously been refused bail by the Supreme Court on October 30, 2023. Nonetheless, the apex court had indicated that he could submit a new bail application if the trial faced significant delays. Today, Public Prosecutor Pankaj Gupta, representing the CBI, contended that Sisodia fails to meet the triple criteria for bail.

Gupta asserted that Sisodia holds significant political influence and that it was at his behest that the other co-accused committed the offense.

Sisodia's lawyer, Vivek Jain, stated that he would submit a written note for his rejoinder in the case. During the previous hearing, Jain had raised objections to the repeated adjournments in the case.

Jain had emphasized that despite the Supreme Court's directive for expeditious trial proceedings in the Delhi excise policy case, Sisodia has been incarcerated for over a year since his arrest.