Rouse Avenue Court: Next Hearing on bail plea of ​​Manish Sisodia on 18 April

Hearing on the bail plea of ​​former Delhi Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, accused in excise policy started where ED said that Manish Sisodia has played a key role in conspiring, making policy, and implementing it. He was the head of the GOM and had all the information about the cabinet, was instrumental in the change of policy. Bribe was taken in lieu of benefiting in the policy.

Opposing the arguments of Sisodia’s counsel, the ED’s counsel argued that it was alleged that the officials whose statements were relied upon are directly under the control of the LG, but when the ACRs of those officials are done by the concerned minister and CM and they are given 10 out of 10 numbers by the same minister and CM.

Further ED added that a person could get only two retail licenses, and for this lottery system had to be adopted, there were 27 shops in all zones. The GOM, or the expert committee, was not aware of the change in policy, if the change had been made under the process, the GOM or the expert committee would have been informed about it.

ED again argued that no policy is made secretly, in the light of day the policy is made in the knowledge of everyone. Conspiracies are hatched in secrecy, while policies are made in public. All the elements of the plot are present here.

In addition, ED said that if the advice of the expert committee was followed, according to it government shops would have benefited more. Arvind, who attended all the GOM meetings, told that there was no discussion about any kind of change in the policy.

ED opposed that there was no discussion in GOM regarding giving wholesale license to private party. There was no discussion on increasing profit margin from 5% to 12% and giving wholesale license to big companies in the GOM meeting held on 9th February 2021 and thereafter.

ED explained before court that no policy is made telepathically, no policy is made only in the mind. There is no logic to increase the profit margin by increasing the license fee. There was no discussion on license fee and profit margin in the GOM meeting.

ED said that if there was a lottery system to distribute licences, then such an alliance would not have happened. Some part of the policy was recovered from Buchibabu’s mobile phone two days before going to the Council of Ministers. Sisodia’s lawyer demanded bail saying that investigation is going on since last one year. They should get bail.

ED asks if courts can ensure that witnesses, evidence will not be tampered with.

Today’s hearing on the bail plea in the money laundering case related to Manish Sisodia’s excise policy is over. Rouse Avenue Court will next hear on 18 April at 2 pm. The court asked to submit the counter process in writing.