Delhi excise policy money laundering case: Court directs authorities to bear expenses of Manish Sisodia's visit to his ailing wife

New Delhi [India], March 2 : The Rouse Avenue Court issued a direction to authorities on Saturday to bear the expenses of former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's visit to his ailing wife.
Sisodia had moved an application seeking modification of the earlier order directing Manish Sisodia to bear the expenses of his visit to his ailing wife.
Special judge M K Nagpal after hearing the application passed the direction to authorities on Saturday.
The court modified the order and said, "Hence, in view of the submissions made and purely on humanitarian grounds, the above said order dated February 5, 2024, of this court is being modified."
"It is directed that the above visits of applicant to his house for meeting his ailing wife shall be on the expenses of State Exchequer and the same shall not be paid by or recovered from the applicant," Special Judge Nagpal ordered on March 2, 2024.
The court also directed to sent the order to the Jail Superintendent concerned for their information, compliance and records.
Meanwhile, the Court had extended the judicial custody of Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh till March 7, 2024.
On February 5, 2024 Manish Sisodia was permitted to visit his residence in JC for meeting his ailing wife once in a week and it
was also directed by the said order that expenses of above visits of the accused shall be borne by him and the same will not be a burden on the State Exchequer.
An application was moved with a prayer to modify as the jail authorities have raised invoices of staggering amount exceeding Rs 40,000 per visit upon the accused and thus, the monthly expenses for the visits of applicant to his residence come around Rs 2 lacs.
It was submitted that due to this heavy financial obligation, Sisodia may not be in a position to enjoy the above liberty or concession granted by the court. It was also submitted that the above direction/condition of this court is unjust keeping in mind the financial condition and resources of the applicant.
It has further been submitted that no such condition was earlier imposed when the applicant was permitted to visit his house from judicial custody to meet his wife in terms of the order dated June 5, 2023, passed by the High Court on his bail application.
The court also supplied the CCTV footages of ED custody of some accused including Sanjay Singh as well as of the approver Dinesh Arora on applications filed by accused persons and directed to collect the same from the IO.
Delhi excise policy money laundering case on February 17, the court allowed applications moved by accused persons directing Enforcement Directorate to provide CCTV footage related to their interrogation during ED custody.
Court on December 19, took cognizance of the supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) filed against AAP MP Sanjay Singh and his Associates Sarvesh Mishra.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on December 2, filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his alleged associate Sarvesh Mishra in money laundering case related to the excise policy case.
On October 4, AAP MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
Earlier, a charge sheet was filed against Manish Sisodia.
According to the ED, it's a fifth supplementary chargesheet in the case. This case is presently at the stage of scrutiny of documents.
ED earlier told the court that Sanjay Singh was part of the conspiracy to collect kickbacks from liquor groups in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
Sanjay Singh allegedly had close relations with now approver Dinesh Arora who allegedly introduced accused Amit Arora to Sanjay Singh.
Dinesh Arora was in regular touch with Sanjay Singh. This has been proved by analysis of Call Detail Records. Singh allegedly received proceeds of crime of Rs 2 crores, stated the ED.
ED earlier claimed that Singh and his associates played a part in the Delhi government's decision to give licenses to alcohol shops and merchants in 2020, causing losses to the state exchequer and violating anti-corruption laws.
ED had previously searched a number of locations including the homes and offices of Sanjay Singh's close associate Ajit Tyagi and other contractors and businessmen who allegedly benefited from the policy. In its nearly 270-page supplementary charge sheet, the ED has called Sisodia a key conspirator in the case.
The Delhi liquor scam case or the excise policy case pertains to allegations that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 allowed cartelization and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge that has been strongly refuted by the AAP.
ED, last year filed its first chargesheet in the case. The agency said it has so far undertaken over 200 search operations in this case after filing an FIR after taking cognizance of a CBI case which was registered on the recommendation of the Delhi lieutenant governor.
The CBI inquiry was recommended on the findings of the Delhi chief secretary's report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010.