Excise ‘scam’: Delhi court denies bail to Sisodia in money laundering case

Sisodia, who was arrested by the ED in December 2021, had applied for bail on the grounds of medical reasons and that the investigation was already complete. However, the court rejected his bail plea, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the possibility of Sisodia tampering with evidence.
The allegations against the accused are serious in nature and there is a possibility that he may try to influence the investigation, said Additional Sessions Judge Arun Kumar Arya in his order. Moreover, the investigation is still ongoing, and granting bail at this stage may hamper the probe.
The court also noted that Sisodia had already spent over four months in custody and that the ED had not shown any undue delay in the investigation.The AAP, which had come to power in Delhi in 2015 on an anti-corruption platform, has strongly denied any involvement in the excise scam. The party has accused the central government of using the ED to target opposition leaders.
This is a politically motivated case and the central government is trying to silence the opposition, said AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha. We have full faith in the judiciary and we will continue to fight for justice.
Sisodia is the second AAP leader to be arrested in the excise scam case, after former Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar. The case is still ongoing, and more arrests and charges are expected in the coming months.
The denial of bail to Sisodia is a blow to the AAP, which is gearing up for elections in several states, including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the party’s prospects in these elections.
What do you think about this share your views in the comments.