Delhi excise policy: Only asked legal question about political party not made accused in money laundering case, says SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday said it was only asking a "legal question" from the Enforcement Directorate about a political party, Aam Aadmi Party, not being made an accused in the Delhi Excise Policy "scam" case despite being an alleged beneficiary.

On Wednesday, the top court asked the ED to explain why the AAP was not made an accused in the money laundering case related to the alleged scam.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti clarified its observation after senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, said the court's question made headlines in newspapers and TV channels that AAP will be made an accused.

"Look! In the court, we ask questions to elicit proper response. We don't get influenced by what is written in newspapers or shown in TVs. It is not going to affect us," Justice Khanna said.

He further said the court is making it very clear that it has not concluded anything on the issue.

"We asked questions based on the arguments advanced before the court. We asked the question not to implicate anybody. It was purely a legal question which arose from the fact that if 'A' is beneficiary of the proceeds of crime, then why it is not made an accused while 'B' and 'C' are made accused," Justice Khanna said.

Singhvi said the problem is that since morning, news channels have been running that the AAP will be made an accused in the money laundering case.

Appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said he was asked by some media people about the question and he gave a statement, "if there is evidence, we are not going to spare anybody".

The bench asked Singhvi and Raju to not digress from the main case and leave the issue at that.

"Let's focus on the main issue," Justice Khanna said and asked Raju to continue arguing in the matter.

The top court is hearing two separate bail pleas of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the case.