The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday began the second round of questioning of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, officials said.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia walked out of Tihar Jail after 17 months behind bars on Friday and said he got bail due to the power of the Constitution and democracy, and this same power will ensure the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
'If you are trying to tell an authentic Punjab story, it's almost impossible that the NRI fascination or the NRI characters will not be a part of it.'
The apex court rejected the preliminary objection raised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia cannot be permitted to file second set of special leave petitions to challenge the Delhi high court's May 21 verdict which denied him bail in the excise policy cases.
The two leaders are "deeply involved in corruption" and should be dealt with accordingly, Congress leader Ajay Maken said.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia has written a letter from Tihar Jail to the people of his assembly constituency, comparing his plight with the atrocities committed by the Britishers against freedom fighters and asserting his commitment to education.
The now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was brought in by the Aam Aadmi Party leadership, specifically former excise minister Manish Sisodia, to 'continuously generate and channel illegal funds' to themselves, the Enforcement Directorate said in its latest chargesheet in this money laundering case.
The CBI had on Sunday deferred his questioning after he sought time from the agency citing the Delhi government's ongoing budget exercise.
The bench said it would be a travesty of justice to relegate Sisodia to the trial court for seeking bail in these cases.
The agency opposed Sisodia's bail plea before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja, who extended the judicial remand of the AAP leader till April 18 after he was produced before the court on the expiry of his custody.
The CBI refuted Sisodia's claims as 'mischievous and misleading', saying his statements were is 'an attempt to divert attention from the ongoing investigation in Delhi Excise Policy case'.
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday arrested Aam Aadmi Party leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on money laundering charges in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, official sources said.
Sisodia is scheduled to appear before the chief judicial magistrate's court in Guwahati on November 19 in connection with the original case filed by Sarma in June.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday reached his residence in New Delhi from Tihar Jail to meet his ailing wife after permission from a city court.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has claimed that CBI officials will come to check his bank locker on Tuesday and said the agency sleuths will not find anything in it.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia, arrested in the Delhi excise policy case in February last year, on Tuesday told a Delhi court hearing his bail petition that no purpose will be served by keeping him in jail any further.
Special Judge M K Nagpal, who deferred the hearing on Sisodia's bail plea till March 24 for clarification and submissions, meanwhile issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate and sought its response by March 25.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh criticizes the BJP's functioning, stating he is not being consulted. He rules out rejoining the Congress but expresses willingness to help Sonia Gandhi personally. He also discusses Punjab's political landscape, AAP's performance, and national security.
Kejriwal said the CBI raid at Sisodia's house was the result of their good performance which is being appreciated globally.
Sisodia is presently lodged in Tihar jail number 1, where he stays in his separate cell shared with two more inmates, who are lodged in non-heinous cases, official sources said.
The BJP-led Centre sent the CBI to conduct searches at Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's residence here just after the New York Times published a positive story in its front page about the Delhi model of education, AAP leaders said.
Glimpses from AAP protests over Manish Sisodia's arrest.
The high court said he was a very powerful and influential person within the power corridors of the Delhi government as he had the responsibility of 18 portfolios in the city dispensation.
Special Judge M K Nagpal fixed May 12 for consideration of the charge sheet after the CBI submitted that the prosecution sanction against Sisodia has already been procured from the competent authorities.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs conveyed to Delhi's Lt Governor's office granting of sanction to prosecute Sisodia under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (powers to police for investigating a public servant).
Special judge MK Nagpal will also hear arguments on Arora's plea to grant him pardon in the matter and allow him to become a witness in the matter.
Sisodia, who was produced before the court on the expiry of his judicial custody, said before the media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to stop Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's work in Delhi.
Special Judge M K Nagpal extended Sisodia's custody after the former Delhi deputy chief minister was produced before the court on expiry of his judicial custody.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
The police also moved an application seeking court's permission to produce Sisodia only via video conference, after he levelled the allegation.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the arrest of his deputy, Manish Sisodia, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is dirty politics and asserted that he was innocent.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday accused Bharatiya Janata Party of wanting to have 'unconstitutional' control over Delhi officers to have leverage over the city government.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia's judicial custody was extended till April 3 on Monday by a court in New Delhi in a case related to the excise policy being probed by the CBI.
Special Judge M K Nagpal reserved the order after hearing arguments on his application seeking relief claiming his custody is no longer required for investigation.
The CBI had sought three more days of custody of Sisodia after producing him before the court on expiry of his three-day remand granted earlier.
Sources said Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi will be sworn in on Thursday.
Heavy rains exacerbate the flood situation in Punjab, leading to 37 deaths and widespread crop damage. Rescue and relief operations are underway as authorities issue alerts and provide assistance to affected populations.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti, which reserved its verdict on two separate regular bail pleas of Sisodia in the corruption and money laundering cases, told the ED it cannot go by the assumption of bribe having been paid, and whatever protection an accused enjoys under law needs to be granted.
"There was a request for Manish Sisodia to be kept in the 'Vipassana cell' of the jail and the same was approved by the court. Despite the court's approval, Sisodia has been kept with criminals in jail number 1. The Centre must give the answer," Bharadwaj said.
Special Judge M K Nagpal, who had dismissed Sisodia's bail application on Friday saying he was 'prima facie the architect' and played the 'most important and vital role' in the alleged scam, extended his custody after he was produced before the court.
