Today(on 16th July),The Supreme Court has issued a notice on former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s bail applications, addressing his prolonged custody of 16 months amidst money laundering and corruption allegations linked to a liquor policy scandal.
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NEW DELHI: Today(on 16th July), The Supreme Court has taken a significant step regarding the bail applications of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is entangled in money laundering and corruption cases related to the alleged liquor policy scam. The court has issued a notice on his bail applications, marking an important development in this high-profile case.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai, Sanjay Karol, and KV Viswanathan passed the order after a hearing where Advocate Vivek Jain represented Sisodia. Jain emphasized that Sisodia has been in custody for 16 months, and the trial is still at the same stage it was in October 2023.
He noted-
“Sisodia was given permission to seek bail again if there was no progress in the trial.”
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for July 29.
Sisodia has filed pleas to reactivate his bail petitions in the cases related to excise policy corruption and money laundering, pursued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), respectively.
Sisodia was initially arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, concerning the excise policy corruption case. Subsequently, the ED arrested him on March 9, 2023, for the money laundering charges originating from the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR). Sisodia resigned from his position in the Delhi Cabinet on February 28.
Previously, on June 4, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain Sisodia’s bail pleas. The court had stated-
“while denying bail, stated that Sisodia could renew his bail petitions once the ED and CBI file their final prosecution complaints and charge sheets in the respective cases.”
A prosecution complaint is the ED’s version of a charge sheet. The court had also noted the accusation of “windfall gains” of Rs 338 crore to wholesale liquor dealers was “tentatively supported” by evidence.
Despite denying bail last year, the Supreme Court allowed Sisodia the freedom to seek relief if the circumstances changed, as noted in their statement-
“The Supreme Court granted the AAP leader the freedom to seek legal recourse if circumstances were to change.”
In a related development, a Delhi court extended Sisodia’s judicial custody till July 22 in the corruption case associated with the alleged excise policy scam.
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