Excise policy case: Delhi HC seeks ED's response on Sisodia's bail plea

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s response on Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's bail plea in the now-scrapped excise policy case.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice on Sisodia's bail plea and another application seeking interim bail on the ground of his wife's ill-health.

ED's counsel Zoheb Hossain said that the response will be filed to both the bail applications within a week.

Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on May 11.

Justice Sharma will also hear on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Sisodia's bail plea in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case.

During the hearing, Hossain submitted that Sisodia is one of the "key conspirators" in the formulation of the excise policy.

To which, Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan objected saying that the ED be heard only after filing of a response.

Sisodia on Wednesday moved the High Court seeking interim bail in the CBI case on the ground of illness of his wife.

Justice Sharma, while listing the plea for consideration on Thursday with his regular bail plea, had also asked the CBI to try make efforts to file the status report in the matter on the same day (Thursday) itself.

Last week, Special Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court had extended Sisodia's judicial custody till May 12.

The court had also directed the CBI to supply an e-copy of the supplementary charge sheet to Sisodia.

Claiming that the probe agency had filed an incomplete investigation in the case, Sisodia's counsel had urged the court to grant default bail to his client.

"Prima facie it seems the agency is saying that further investigation regarding me is required/pending. Therefore, we reserve the right to file an application for statutory bail," counsel had said.

The probe agency had filed the charge sheet on April 25.

On April 26, the CBI had told the Delhi High Court that the excise policy scam it is probing, is a "deep-rooted conspiracy" and that it is not as simple as depicted.

Judge Nagpal had, on April 29, also extended Sisodia's custody till May 8 in the case registered by the ED.

A day before, the judge denied bail to Sisodia holding that the evidence prima facie "speaks volumes" of his involvement in commission of the offence.