Excise policy scam: Delhi court reserves order on Sisodia's bail plea in ED case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Apr, 2023 11:46 AM
New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) A Delhi Court on Tuesday reserved its decision on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's bail plea in connection with the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Special judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court will pronounce the order on April 26.
On Monday, the court had extended Sisodia's judicial custody by two weeks in the case.
The ED had earlier submitted before the bench of judge Nagpal 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 told the court.
The probe agency had also said that the 60 days given to complete the investigation against Sisodia are not over yet.
Have found fresh evidence indicating Sisodia's involvement in the alleged excise policy scam, and the investigation is at a crucial stage, the ED had said.
With the arrest of five men, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police has busted a racket that indulged in smuggling and selling skin of Royal Bengal Tigers, an official said on Wednesday. The accused have been identified as Amir Khan, Deepak Kumar, Mohit, Shivam Sisodia, and Rahul Rawat, all residents of NCR.
On expiry on Sisodia's ED custody, which was extended on March 17, he was produced before Special Judge M.K. Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court. The judge said: "We will send him to judicial custody till April 5." Sisodia is already in judicial custody in the corruption case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that reducing the regional divide is one of the key priority areas for India during its G20 presidency. Modi said this after inaugurating the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area office and Innovation Centre in India at a programme in Vigyan Bhawan here.
The Chief Minister categorically said this move of the hill state's government is illegitimate and irrational. He said Punjab has legitimate right over the river waters and no one can snatch it from the state. The state will not pay even a single penny for the water flowing through its land.
In a video message, the Chief Minister said Punjab symbolises peace and progress as from this sacred land the great Sikh gurus have given the message of universal brotherhood and well-being of every section to the people.
Meanwhile, the positivity rate of the city has risen to 5.83 per cent. The number of active cases stands at 270 out of which 179 patients are being treated in home isolation.With 21 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries so far has gone to 19,81,293, while the total caseload is 20,08,087 and the death toll in the city stands at 26,524.