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Sisodia had moved the high court again seeking interim bail, citing the ill health of his wife. He had sought bail for 6 weeks.
While dismissing former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia's interim bail plea, the Delhi High Court on Monday allowed him to meet his ill wife under custody on one day at her convenience from 10 am to 5 pm in custody.
Rejecting the interim bail, the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said, "However, at the same time the court feels that the petitioner should be given an opportunity to meet his wife. Therefore, one day as per the convenience of Mrs. Seema Sisodia, the petitioner be taken to his residence/hospital, if she is admitted from 10 am to 5 pm in custody. During this period the petitioner shall not interact with the media in any manner nor shall meet anybody except his wife or members of his family".
"The commissioner of Delhi Police is also directed to ensure that there should not be any media gathering near the vicinity of his residence or hospital wherein he's taken. The petitioner should also not use a mobile phone or internet", the court added.
Justice Sharma observed that the allegations against Sisodia are "extremely serious in nature" and that it cannot forget the positions he held. The court also stated that Sisodia might "tamper with evidence" or "influence witnesses" if released on bail.
The court noted that the wife of Manish Sisodia was admitted to LNJP hospital on June 3rd and a report was called for. "The medical report concludes as under...at present on the opinion of the neurologist she requires close monitoring...", it noted.
"It is pertinent to mention that as per the latest report on general physical examination Mrs. Seema Sisodia was found conscious and fully oriented, her pulse was....her BP...and Oxygen saturation 97", the court said.
"This court as a guardian of administration would suggest that Mrs. Seema Sisodia is examined by the Board of Doctors to be constituted by the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS", the court further said.
Notably, on Saturday, the high court 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 single judge bench had “reserved order” on his interim bail plea for six weeks in a money laundering case arising from the alleged excise policy scam.
Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Sisodia had 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 had 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 had submitted that the earlier and present prescription reports were identical and that there was no substantial change in Sisodia’s wife’s health.
Hossain had 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.
On Friday allowed Sisodia to meet his ill wife under custody on Saturday 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.
It is to be noted that 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 also 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
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