Delhi HC Extends Deadline for CBI, ED Response in Manish Sisodia’s Bail Plea
Today, the Delhi High Court granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) more time to respond to the bail pleas of former Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia. He is currently in judicial custody in connection with money laundering and corruption cases related to an alleged liquor policy scam.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma presided over a single judge bench and scheduled the matter for hearing on Monday, May 13. Zoheb Hossain, special counsel for the ED, informed the court that the central agency needed an additional week to file its response because the Investigating Officer (IO) was in the process of submitting another supplementary prosecution complaint. Hossain also mentioned ongoing proceedings in the Supreme Court regarding a co-accused who is currently in judicial custody.
Advocate Vivek Jain, representing Sisodia, opposed the request, citing previous assertions by the ED before the Supreme Court that the trial would be concluded within six months. Jain argued that Sisodia’s fresh bail plea, filed after dismissal by the Supreme Court, had been pending for three months. He noted that the ED’s reply before the trial court had already been annexed to the bail plea.
Hossain contested Jain’s claim, stating that Sisodia’s bail plea in the High Court had not been pending for three months. The counsel representing the CBI also sought an additional week to file a reply. Consequently, the court granted both agencies time to respond until the end of the week and scheduled the hearing for Monday.
Manish Sisodia challenged the trial court’s dismissal of his second bail plea in both CBI and ED cases on April 30. The trial court rejected his plea in the money laundering case, stating that the proceedings had not been unduly delayed and were progressing appropriately.
Sisodia has been denied bail by the trial court, Delhi High Court, and the Supreme Court in both the ED and CBI cases. His review petitions and curative petitions have also been dismissed. The AAP leader was initially arrested by the CBI and ED on February 26 and March 9 last year, respectively.
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