SC to Hear Manish Sisodia’s Bail Pleas in Delhi Excise Policy Scam on August 5

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th July. The Supreme Court on Monday scheduled the hearing of AAP leader Manish Sisodia’s bail pleas for August 5 in connection with corruption and money-laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan took up the matter. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju informed the bench that while the CBI had filed its response, it had not been recorded. Raju stated that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) counter affidavit was ready and would be filed soon. He raised preliminary objections, noting that Sisodia’s pleas were the second special leave petitions challenging the same Delhi High Court order.

Sisodia previously moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court’s May 21 order dismissing his bail pleas. He challenged a trial court’s April 30 decision to reject his bail applications in the two cases. The CBI arrested Sisodia on February 26, 2023, for his alleged role in the liquor policy case, followed by his arrest by the ED on March 9, 2023, for money laundering. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.

During the hearing, Raju referred to the June 4 order where the top court had refused to entertain Sisodia’s bail pleas but allowed him to revive his petitions after the ED and CBI filed their final prosecution complaints and charge sheets. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Sisodia, called Raju’s arguments “absolutely shocking” and criticized the prosecutor’s stance.

The bench observed that the period determined in the October 30 order had ended, allowing the matter to be heard on merit. The court scheduled the hearing for August 5 and instructed that the ED’s counter affidavit be filed by August 1, with rejoinders from Sisodia by August 3.

Sisodia, in custody for 16 months, contends that the trial has not progressed since October and seeks bail on these grounds. The Supreme Court on July 16 agreed to hear the pleas and sought responses from the CBI and ED. Sisodia also filed an application to revive his bail petitions in the excise policy-linked corruption and money-laundering cases.