Delhi excise policy case: SC seeks response of ED, CBI on interim bail pleas of AAP leader Sisodia
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses of the CBI and the ED by July 28 on interim bail pleas of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Bela M Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan took into consideration the submission of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, that his wife is suffering from an extreme medical condition and is hospitalised.
The bench said it will consider the interim bail application and for that it is seeking response of the CBI and the ED.
At the outset, the bench said that normally the court does not interfere with policy decisions but here is a case of making of policy for extraneous reasons.
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI and the ED, said interim bail application was also rejected by the trial court.
The bench, however, asked Raju to file response on behalf of investigating agencies.
On July 10, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had agreed to hear the pleas of the former Delhi deputy chief minister on July 14.
Sisodia, who held the excise portfolio among many that he handled as the deputy chief minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 for his alleged role in the "scam". He has been in custody since then.
The ED arrested him in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar jail.
Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
