Manish Sisodia sent to judicial custody till March 20 in excise policy scam case

A Delhi court on Monday, March 6, sent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, to judicial custody till March 20 in the alleged liquor policy scam being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The counsel appearing for the agency said that at this stage, they are not seeking further CBI remand, but in the next 15 days, they might seek it. Special Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Courts ordered: "An application to send the accused to judicial custody has been filed. It is submitted that police custody is no longer required and the same may be sought later if required. In view of the submission made, the accused is sent to judicial custody till March 20." Sisodia had moved an application seeking spectacles, Bhagwad Geeta, a diary, and a pen inside the prison, which was also allowed by the court. The counsel appearing for the CBI contended that the AAP leaders are politicising the matter and that the witnesses are "terrified".

The court had, on March 4, extended Sisodia's CBI custody for two days, and listed his bail plea for March 10. In the last two days, the CBI questioned him along with other key witnesses -- former Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi Krishna, and former Excise Department Secretary C. Arvind, who recorded their statements before the Magistrate. Representing Sisodia, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur showed displeasure over the CBI's argument. "I am appalled by a submission like this. Are they scared of the media?" he questioned. However, the court said that the media cannot be stopped from covering the matter and as long as the protests are carried out peacefully, the court will not be concerned. The AAP leader, while addressing the court, had earlier said that the CBI was asking the same questions repeatedly and that it was mental harassment. "They are not using third degree. But sitting for eight to nine hours and answering the same questions, again and again, is mental harassment," he told the court. The court had also directed the CBI to conduct his medical exams at regular intervals. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, after eight hours of questioning.