Delhi excise 'scam': Manish Sisodia planted e-mails to show public support for policy, ED tells court

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday told a Delhi court that AAP leader Manish Sisodia, arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise scam, had intentionally created fake emails to suggest that there was public support for the policy.
The agency presented these arguments to Special Judge MK Nagpal in opposition to the former deputy chief minister of Delhi's bail request.
"We have evidence that Sisodia had e-mails planted. These have been received not only in the official e-mail account of the Excise Department but even in his personal e-mail account. The content of the e-mails was given by Sisodia which suited his agenda," the counsel for the ED told the court.
The Chairman of the Delhi Minorities' Commission, Zakir Khan, was given instructions to send these pre-written emails; he then asked his interns to do so, the ED testified in court.
"Fabricated e-mails were sent to show that there was a public approval of the policy. This is a sham approval... Illegal ecosystem was created to give benefits to the liquor cartels in lieu of kickbacks," the counsel said.
The ED's special public prosecutor then told the judge that the agency wanted to show him the case diary, at which the defence counsel said that it should not be done so in secrecy.
"Sealed cover business should go. If something is used against me to deny me my liberty... If they are relying on something behind my back... It should be put to me as well," the defence counsel said.
The ED, however, said that the 60 days, the period allowed to a probe agency post an accused's arrest to complete the investigation against him, are not over.
"We will put it to you after 60 days," the ED said.
The judge adjourned the matter for April 18.
The ED had on April 5 told a Delhi court the investigation in the money laundering probe against Sisodia in the case was at a "crucial" stage and it had found fresh evidence of his complicity.
(With inputs from PTI)