Delhi liquor scam: HC calls for ED's stand on interim bail plea of YSR Cong MP's son

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought to know the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) stand on a plea moved by Raghav Magunta, the son of YSR Congress Party MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, seeking interim bail in a money-laundering case related to an alleged liquor scam in the national capital.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma asked the ED's counsel to take instructions in the matter and listed it for further hearing on May 15.

Magunta has sought interim bail on the ground of his wife's medical condition.

He has challenged a trial court's May 8 order that dismissed his interim bail plea.

The trial court had said it could not be ignored that the accused was being prosecuted for the offence of money laundering, a serious economic offence.

It had said it was not satisfied with the history of the ailment of Magunta's wife as nothing special or serious was stated about her condition in the documents placed before it.

Other family members of the accused could also take care of his wife, the court had said, adding that Magunta had not contended that nobody from the family was available to discharge the liability.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED, which are probing the liquor "scam" cases against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Magunta and others, irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22 and undue favours were extended to licence holders.

The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.

Sisodia is also an accused in the cases registered by the CBI and the ED and is currently lodged in jail.