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Synopsis

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Monday granted a three-day interim bail to senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia. The bail was granted to allow Sisodia to attend his niece's wedding.

Special Judge M. K. Nagpal granted relief to Sisodia from February 13 to February 15 in the corruption and money laundering cases under investigation by the CBI and ED, respectively.

Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister of Delhi, was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, in connection with the alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021–22.

Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on March 9 from Tihar jail in a related money laundering case. Sisodia had resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, as he was responsible for the excise portfolio.

The Delhi government had introduced the new excise policy on November 17, 2021, but later withdrew it by the end of September 2022 amid corruption allegations. Investigating agencies allege that the new policy led to an increase in the profit margin of wholesalers from 5 percent to 12 percent, fostering cartelization and favoring ineligible candidates for liquor licenses for financial gains.

Both the Delhi government and Sisodia have consistently refuted these allegations, asserting that the new policy aimed to enhance the city government's revenue.

It is CBI's case that there were alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy for the years 2021–22.  On February 26, the CBI commenced a second round of questioning after Sisodia was earlier questioned on October 17 last year. The chargesheet in the matter was filed on November 25, 2022.