Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday withdrew from the High Court his interim bail pleas in cases related to the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy.
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The senior Aam Aadmi Party leader was arrested on February 26 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which accused him of irregularities in formulation and implementation of the policy. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on March 9 over money laundering charges, which are based on the CBI’s case.
Mr. Sisodia had earlier this month moved the HC for interim bail in both cases on grounds of his wife Seema’s poor health, stating that she suffers from multiple sclerosis.
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Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma allowed the former Deputy CM to withdraw his petitions, after the latter’s counsel submitted that interim bail was not needed as Ms. Sisodia’s condition is now stable and the order on the regular bail plea in the CBI case is already reserved.
The petitions had been filed after a trial court dismissed Mr. Sisodia’s earlier applications seeking regular bail in both the cases against him.
He had then moved the HC, contending that the other accused were either not arrested or had been granted bail. The AAP leader subsequently filed the interim bail pleas.
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The High Court will continue hearing arguments on his regular bail plea in the ED case on May 26.
The court had earlier directed the Tihar jail superintendent to allow video calls between Mr. Sisodia and his ailing wife for an hour every alternate day. It had said the interim direction shall remain in force till the time it decides Mr. Sisodia’s regular and interim bail pleas.
Ms. Sisodia had earlier been hospitalised after her condition worsened but was later discharged.