The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)  leader Manish Sisodia in excise policy scam cases lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Apex Court had posed a volley of questions to the probing agencies about the Delhi excise policy ‘scam’ and asked how a case was made out against former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. The former deputy Delhi CM was arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the ‘scam’.

“We understand that there was a policy change and everyone will support policies which are good for business. Pressure groups are always there but policy changes without money consideration will not matter. It’s the money part which makes it an offence. If we go to an extent to say that there cannot be any pressure groups, no government can function. Lobbying will always be there. Of course, bribes cannot be accepted,” observed the court and stated that merely because some lobby or pressure groups had sought a certain policy change does not imply there was corruption or commission of crime unless an element of bribery was involved.

While referring to the ED’s allegation that Rs 100 crore was used by the AAP in the Goa assembly election campaign, the court said, “Have you established the money laundering charge against Manish Sisodia? I am on as far as the money in Goa is concerned. He (Sisodia) did not get the possession of proceeds of the crime, somebody else had. It’s not an acquisition by him but by someone else. Use is also by someone else.”

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