The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea filed by Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi excise policy case. The plea was mentioned by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Sighvi before a bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha for urgent hearing. The court said it will hear the matter at 3.50 PM after the Constitution bench sitting concludes.
Appearing before the bench on behalf of Sisodia, Singhvi claimed that it was an extraordinary case warranting interference by the top court under Article 32 and also cited the judgment in the Vinod Dua case. Sighvi’s argument came after the CJI questioned him why Sisodia was not availing of the remedies available before the High Court under Section 482 CrPC.
The CJI also referred to the relief it granted to Congress leader Pawan Khera and pointed out that it had interfered in the case only because there was a prayer to consolidate FIRs filed in several states against him.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on Sunday in an FIR alleging irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy in Delhi for the year 2021-22. He was produced before a Delhi court on Monday, which remanded him to CBI custody till March 4.
In a statement issued Sunday, the CBI claimed that the AAP minister remained evasive during interrogation and did not cooperate with the investigators despite being presented with evidence, warranting custodial probe. Sisodia was questioned for around 8 hours prior to his arrest. Sunday was the second round of questioning by the CBI after being probed by the agency on October 17 last year.
Sisodia and several others were instrumental in “recommending and taking decisions” on the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 “without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licensee post tender”, the CBI FIR states. The agency filed its chargesheet in the matter on November 25, 2022.