New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a writ petition filed by Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodiya challenging his arrest by the CBI in liquor policy scam case.
“It would set a very wrong precedent. Just because an incident had happened in Delhi, we are approached,” a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha said.
The court said the petitioner can avail the efficacious remedy in the Delhi High Court.
Senior advocate AM Singhvi pointed out to the court that it had earlier intervened in the case of Arnab Goswami and Vinod Dua.
The bench said, “we are not saying we are bereft of power. The case of Arnab Goswami had travelled to the Supreme Court after the Bombay High Court’s judgement. The facts and circumstances of Vinod Dua case during the Covid-19 were also different,”
The court had earlier agreed to hear the matter on Tuesday on urgent mentioning by Singhvi on behalf of Sisodiya.
On Tuesday morning, the court had shown its disinclination to consider the matter, also saying that it had entertained the other day a similar writ petition filed by Congress leader Pawan Khera as it sought clubbing of multiple FIRs.
However, on requests by Singhvi, the court agreed to hear Sisodiya’s plea on Tuesday itself.
Sisodiya was arrested on February 26.
Special judge MK Nagpal on February 27 remanded Sisodiya to CBI custody for five days till March 4 for “further and extensive interrogation”.
CBI claimed the investigation has revealed that Sisodia verbally directed the Secretary to put a new cabinet note to bring about the change and variance in the liquor policy.
He was heading the Group of Ministers constituted by the cabinet for the Excise Policy. The profit margin was enhanced from 5 per cent to 12 per cent. He could not explain why the changes were made, it alleged.
