Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia was sent to two weeks of judicial custody by a court in Delhi on Wednesday in the money laundering case linked to the capital's now-scrapped liquor sales policy.
Special Judge M K Nagpal sent the former Deputy Chief Minister to jail till April 5 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced him at the end of his custodial interrogation in the case.
The anti-money laundering probe agency questioned Mr Sisodia, who was divested of his ministerial portfolios after his arrest, for seven days in its custody in the matter.
On Tuesday, the special court deferred the hearing on his request for bail in the main liquor sales policy case being probed by the CBI. The bail request will now be heard on Saturday.
The CBI on February 26 arrested Mr Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the drafting and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Mr Sisodia on March 9 in Tihar jail, where he was lodged in connection with the case being probed by the CBI.
Requesting bail, the former minister had told the Delhi court that his wife is ill and there's nobody to take care of her. His lawyer said that his son studies abroad, and hence it's his responsibility to look after her.
The CBI opposed his bail, saying he is at such a high post in the government that he can easily not just hide, but even destroy, evidence related to the case.
Mr Sisodia argued that he has cooperated with the CBI investigation into the Delhi excise policy case and none of the searches have revealed any incriminating material against him. His lawyer said his custodial interrogation was no longer required and he was not a flight risk.
"I am a public servant, but two other public servants, against whom allegations are graver, have not been arrested," his counsel contended, adding that there's no documentary evidence of receiving kickbacks against him.
The CBI argued that even if Mr Sisodia is not a flight risk, he can influence witnesses and hamper the investigation if set free.
Mr Sisodia's counsel also told the court that all the offences alleged entails less than seven years of imprisonment in the case, and any further incarceration is not justified.
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