New Delhi (IANS) | A Delhi court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia till May 12 in the excise policy matter being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Special Judge MK Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court directed the CBI to provide an e-copy of the supplementary charge sheet to Sisodia.
Sisodia’s counsel urged the court to grant default bail to his client, claiming that the probe agency had filed an incomplete probe in the case.
The lawyer said, prima facie it seems that the agency is saying that further investigation is required/pending in my case. Therefore, we reserve the right to file an application for statutory bail.
The court then questioned the agency as to why it had not said that the investigation relating to Sisodia was over. You say that you have filed the supplementary chargesheet (within the stipulated time), but you have said that investigation is pending in the matter, the court asked. Why didn’t you tell that charge sheet is filed against Sisodia after completion of investigation.
The charge sheet was filed by the probe agency on 25 April. The court also took note of the defense counsel’s argument that Sisodia needed a copy of the charge sheet to determine whether the investigation against him was complete. However, noting that it was not an appropriate time to provide a copy of the charge sheet, the judge directed the CBI to provide an e-copy of the charge sheet to Sisodia.
The CBI on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that the excise policy scam it is probing is a “deep rooted conspiracy” and is not as simple as portrayed. As Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma heard the arguments on the bail plea filed by Sisodia, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the CBI, said: On April 25, we filed the chargesheet in the case. yet to be taken into account.
After a lengthy hearing of the matter, Justice Sharma had observed: At the stage of bail, we cannot go into more details. Please show me the evidence on which you (CBI) are relying in the present case.
–IANS
