A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a corruption case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam.

As per PTI report, special Judge M K Nagpal extended Sisodia`s custody till March 22 after he was produced before the court on the expiry of his remand. The judge passed the order after the CBI counsel claimed that investigation was at a crucial stage, and if released on bail, Sisodia may hamper the ongoing probe or flee from justice.

The CBI and the ED have alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi Excise Policy 2020-21, in which undue favours were extended to licence holders, licence fee was waived or reduced and licences were extended without the competent authority`s approval. 

The Delhi`s former deputy chief minister, Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023 for his alleged role in the scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. 

During the hearing on Tuesday, judge also heard arguments on an application filed by some accused in the case objecting to the commencement of arguments on the framing of charges, reported PTI.

As per the report, citing Supreme Court judgements, defence advocate Nitesh Rana told the court there cannot be further investigation once the trial has commenced and the trial commences after charges have been framed. The judge reserved the order on the application and is likely to pronounce it on March 22.

Last month, Sisodia sought early hearing of his two curative petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the 2023 verdict of the court denying him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam case. 

Meanwhile, for AAP leader Sanjay Singh, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear on March 19 a plea filed by Singh, challenging an order of the Delhi High Court which refused to grant him bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. 

Singh was arrested in the case by the ED on October 4 last year. 

(With PTI inputs)

Source link