Sisodia only to be produced via video conferencing, says Delhi court
Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Jun, 2023 11:04 AM
New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday ordered that former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia should only be produced via video conferencing during hearings in the ongoing Delhi Excise Policy scam case due to security issues.
During Thursday's hearing as well, the AAP leader was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court through video conferencing after the Delhi Police's request.
This was however, opposed by Sisodia and his counsel.
The court stated that until a decision is made regarding the Delhi Police's application concerning security, Sisodia will be produced through video conferencing.
It then fixed July 19 as the next date of hearing. Sisodia's judicial custody has also been extended to this date.
The counsel appearing for Sisodia alleged that the AAP leader had been mistreated during his previous appearance.
The counsel told the court that his neck was grabbed and was taken away by the police when he was answering questions of media.
The court raised questions about the behavior of the media and expressed displeasure when there was a gathering of people in the courtroom.
The court said that it will also consider the need of putting a ban on media, if needed.
It said that Sisodia will be allowed to meet his family members and counsel only, and he will not meet any outsider.
When Sisodia was asked by special judge M.K. Nagpal whether he should be presented via video conferencing or in person, the AAP leader replied that he wanted to appear physically in court.
The Delhi Police however, had filed an application requesting Sisodia's appearance through video conferencing. It stated that there was a higher risk to security due to the increased crowd during Sisodia's physical presence.
The court said that anyone can come wearing a lawyer's uniform which can lead to security issues during Sisodia's appearance.
Sisodia said that during physical hearing he could meet his lawyers to discuss various things on this the court said that his lawyers were allowed to meet him in lock up room of the court.
The court has directed the authorities concerned to preserve the CCTV footage of the incident in which Sisodia was allegedly heckled and to produce it on the next date of hearing.
Judge Nagpal after taking cognisance of the ED charge sheet had summoned all the accused, including Sisodia, for today's hearing.
The same court had on May 23 extended his judicial custody for the same date in the ED case.
The ED had arrested Sisodia on March 9, after the CBI arrested him on February 26 this year.
Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta filed the charge sheet, which runs into over 2,100 pages.
Earlier the Delhi High Court had also dismissed Sisodia's bail plea in the excise policy case being probed by the CBI.
The judge said that the nature of the allegations is quite serious that the excise policy was formed at the instance of South Group with mala fide intention to give undue advantage to them.
While denying him bail, the judge also said that Sisodia being an influential person can influence witnesses, who are also public servants.
In regulatory filing, Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of the Reliance group, said the Board of Directors at its meeting held on Monday "approved the appointment of Akash Ambani, Non-executive Director, as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company".
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohali, Vivek Sheel Soni, on Tuesday ordered registration of an FIR against Sub-Inspector (S-I) Balwinder Singh in the firing incident in Dera Bassi in Punjab. The SSP also initiated departmental action against three police personnel present at the spot for major punishment.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday informed the Assembly that the state will soon bring a resolution in the House to oppose the Centre's Agnipath scheme regarding the defence recruitment. Also, he said, a resolution on condemning the ban on Sidhu Moosewala's new song, SYL, on YouTube.
The Special Cell sought fourteen days police custody. The police move was opposed by advocate Deepak Tyagi who appeared for Kumar. The court after hearing the arguments allowed the police request and sent him to police custody.
In a statement released here, Sirsa said he had claimed from day one that the excise policy of Delhi and now of Punjab has been framed to benefit large contractors from whom the AAP wanted to get election funds to contest elections in time to come in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.
Some of the accused arrested by the Punjab Police have revealed the name of Lawrence Bishnoi as the main culprit who hired them to execute the killing of Moosewala.
