Delhi court extends judicial custody of Sisodia, Sanjay Singh in excise policy case

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh in the excise policy case till March 19.

The two were produced before Special Judge, M.K. Nagpal, of Rouse Avenue Court on the expiry of their previously-extended judicial custody in the case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

The ED sought their further judicial custody, saying that the case was at a crucial stage, and if released, the accused may hamper the investigation.

It had, in the previous hearing, said that Sisodia's regular bail application should not be entertained while his curative petition is pending before the top court.

Special counsel Zoheb Hossain had argued that seeking relief simultaneously from two forums is impermissible under legal discipline and urged the trial court to await the disposal of the curative petition.

In response, senior advocate Mohit Mathur, representing Sisodia, had questioned the rationale behind withholding the bail plea until the curative petition's outcome. He had cited precedents from the coal scam cases where trial proceedings continued despite pending special leave petitions in the Supreme Court. The court had recently granted three-day interim bail to Sisodia to attend his niece's wedding.

The excise policy case is being probed by both the ED and the CBI.