The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petitions of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the money laundering and corruption cases linked to the excise policy scam.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader is presently in judicial custody in both the cases.
The matter involved grave misuse of power and breach of public trust by Sisodia, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said in his order, adding that the applicant allegedly indulged in destruction of crucial evidence, including electronic evidence.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, for his alleged role in the liquor scam. The ED arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. The AAP leader resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.
In its order, the high court said Sisodia has not been able to make out a case for grant of bail. It said the material collected during the investigation showed that the applicant subverted the process of making the policy by fabricating public feedback to suit his predetermined goal.
Justice Sharma noted that Sisodia did not pass the triple test for bail in the CBI case as he has failed to produce the two phones used by him. The court said the possibility of Sisodia tampering with evidence cannot be ruled out.
Many public servants have given statements against the applicant, so the possibility of him trying to influence them cannot be ruled out, it also said.
The high court further observed in its order that Sisodia was a powerful person as he had the responsibility of 18 ministries , including the excise department.
The court, however, allowed him to meet his wife every week.
Sisodia had moved the high court after the trial court rejected his bail applications on April 30. The high court reserved its order on May 14 after hearing arguments on behalf of the AAP leader, CBI and ED.
