Manish Sisodia challenges ED chargesheet in Delhi HC over lack of sanction approval

New Delhi [India]: Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has approached the Delhi High Court, challenging the trial court's decision to take cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate's chargesheet in the Excise Policy case.

Sisodia's plea stated that the chargesheet was filed without the necessary sanction approval from the competent authorities.

The plea filed stated that the allegations against the petitioner, Manish Sisodia, relate to official acts carried out by him in the course of his duties as a public servant.


It further stated that the Enforcement Directorate, in this case, has filed the impugned supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) without obtaining prior sanction from the competent authority.

The plea contends that the Special Court's decision to take cognizance of the chargesheet, without this necessary sanction, contradicts established legal precedents. As such, the prosecution of the petitioner without the required sanction is unlawful.

As a result, the plea seeks an order for the quashing and setting aside of all consequential proceedings, both preceding and subsequent to the order passed in the case, as stated by the petitioner, Manish Sisodia.

The hearing in the matter is scheduled to be held on Monday by Delhi High Court bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri.

In August, the Supreme Court granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in two cases related to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.

The court was hearing pleas filed by Sisodia seeking bail in both cases lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), involving allegations of money laundering and corruption.

Sisodia, who was arrested in February 2023, had previously been denied bail by the Delhi High Court.