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The High Court on Thursday asked former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in connection with the now-withdrawn excise policy case, to explain why the policy was withdraw when the Delhi government claimed it to be “so good”.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma posted the query during the hearing of a bail application of co-accused Vijay Nair in a money laundering case arising from the alleged liquor scam.
“If policy was so good, why did you withdraw it? Get a definitive reply for this,” the judge remarked after being informed that the former Deputy CM, currently lodged in Tihar jail, had filed a fresh application for release.
The counsel representing Mr. Sisodia submitted the policy was rolled back as the Lieutenant-Governor did not let liquor vends to open in “non-conforming” zones, leading to losses.
‘Wrongdoings exposed’
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), however, claimed that the policy was withdrawn because the wrongdoings of the accused had been “exposed”.
