Today(on 29th July),The Supreme Court will hear bail pleas from AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who has been in custody for 16 months since his February 2023 arrest in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Sisodia seeks release amid ongoing investigations into the case.
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NEW DELHI: Today(on 29th July),The Supreme Court is set to hear the bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia. Sisodia has been in custody for 16 months following his arrest in February 2023 in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan will preside over the hearing.
Here’s a detailed look into the key aspects of Manish Sisodia’s case:
- In July 2022, Delhi’s Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar submitted a report to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. This report alleged that Manish Sisodia, the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, had received kickbacks from liquor vending licensees. These funds were purportedly used to finance the AAP’s 2022 Punjab election campaign. The allegations pointed to potential misuse of the excise policy for personal and political gains.
- On February 26, 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy scam. The charges against him include criminal conspiracy under Section 120B, intent to defraud under Section 477A, and violations under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR alleged that Sisodia was “Instrumental in recommending and making decisions regarding the excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22 without obtaining approval from the competent authority, with the intention of conferring undue benefits to the licensee following the tender process.”
- Following his arrest by the CBI, Sisodia faced further legal troubles when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9, 2023. This arrest was related to a money laundering case linked to the original allegations. The ED claimed that the kickbacks from the excise policy were used to fund the AAP’s election campaign in Punjab.
- In light of the charges, both Manish Sisodia and another AAP leader, Satyendar Jain, who was also arrested on corruption charges, resigned from their positions in the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on February 28, 2023. Despite these resignations, the legal battles continued.
- On October 30, 2023, the Supreme Court denied bail to Sisodia on both his pleas. The court cited ‘tentative evidence’ suggesting that wholesale liquor dealers had gained Rs. 338 crores under the excise policy. The court indicated that Sisodia could apply for bail again if there were changes in evidence or if the trial was extended. Sisodia’s bail pleas were once again rejected on April 30, 2024, by a trial court. This led him to file an appeal with the Delhi High Court, which also dismissed his pleas on May 21. Subsequently, the Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the lower courts.
ALSO READ: [Breaking] Manish Sisodia’s Judicial Custody Till July 26: Delhi Court
As of now, Sisodia remains in judicial custody. The Enforcement Directorate informed the Supreme Court that the trial was expected to last between six to eight months. On June 4, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected Sisodia’s application to revive his bail pleas, stating that he needed to wait until the ED and CBI filed their respective prosecution complaints and chargesheets.
