CBI court rejects Manish Sisodia's bail plea in alleged Delhi liquor policy scam

The CBI special court's judge MK Nagpal said Sisodia’s bail request could not be allowed as the probe is at a stage where it doesn't merit granting bail.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) argued that the AAP leader’s application for bail could not be accepted as the investigation was at a "crucial" stage.

The ED alleged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader concocted emails to show the people had approved the new liquor policy for the national capital.

On March 31, Sisodia's request for bail was rejected in the alleged corruption case being probed by the CBI.

The central agency claimed that Sisodia was the "architect" of the conspiracy to take kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore from a liquor lobby.

The court had said that releasing Sisodia on bail would "adversely affect the ongoing investigation".

The probe into the alleged liquor scam started after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor ordered a CBI investigation.

After the order, Delhi’s AAP government reinstated the old liquor policy in the national capital and blamed the LG for revenue loss of crores of rupees that would have come to the exchequer if the new liquor policy was not withdrawn.

The CBI is investigating the alleged involvement of a "south lobby" consisting of businessmen and politicians in manipulating the Delhi liquor policy to benefit themselves, with the help of middlemen, traders, and bureaucrats.

The former chartered accountant of K Kavitha, who is a leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the CBI. Kavitha was also interrogated in the matter.