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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court on Saturday sought a fresh medical report from the LNJP hospital on the health condition of former Delhi Deputy CM and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia's ailing wife.

While seeking the medical report of Sisodia’s wife, the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma “reserved order” on his interim bail plea for six weeks in a money laundering case arising from the alleged excise policy scam.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Sisodia apprised the court that pursuant to the directions passed on Friday, the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister was taken in custody to meet his wife earlier in the day but the latter's health condition deteriorated and was taken to be LNJP hospital before he could reach home.

Mathur also contended that Sisodia is the sole caretaker of his wife as their only son is studying abroad.

Opposing the interim bail plea, Special Public Prosecutor Zoheb Hossain submitted that the earlier and present prescription reports were identical and that there was no substantial change in Sisodia’s wife’s health.

Hossain stated that documents related to excise policy had been removed from the vigilance secretary’s office on the day of the Supreme Court verdict on services and an FIR concerning the removal of documents had been filed and the incident is being probed.

Justice Sharma is likely to pronounce the order in the plea on Monday i.e. June 5 at 2 pm.

Notably, the court on Friday allowed Sisodia to meet his ill wife under custody tomorrow i.e. June 3, from 10 am to 5 pm as per rule. 

"Let the petitioner be taken to his house in custody from 10 am to 5 pm tomorrow as per rules. However, he should not interact with media in any manner. Nor shall the petitioner meet anybody except members of the family, neither should he have any access to the phone/internet", the court had ordered.

Justice Sharma also directed for the medical report to be verified. Furthermore, the court directed the medical report of Sisodia's wife to be furnished by tomorrow evening positively.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju for the ED, opposed the plea and said that a similar plea on the same grounds was sought earlier, which was withdrawn later. Raju also said that Sisodia may be allowed to visit his wife under a Police escort.

On May 24, Sisodia “withdrew” interim bail pleas filed by him in CBI and ED cases before the Court in the Delhi excise policy scam case to take care of his ailing wife.

The court had then ordered, “Noting that the condition of the petitioner’s wife has improved and is stable, the interim applications are dismissed as withdrawn”.

It is to be noted that on May 11, a single-judge bench had directed the Jail Superintendent of Tihar Jail to ensure video conference meetings of AAP leader Manish Sisodia with his wife every alternate day as per jail rules till the disposal of his bail application.

The court had ordered, “The superintendent of jail to ensure VC meetings [of Manish Sisodia] with his wife on every alternate day between 3 to 4 pm till disposal of the bail application as per Jail Rules”.

Case Title: Manish Sisodia v. Directorate of Enforcement