Manish Sisodia granted bail by Supreme Court in Delhi excise policy case

Manish Sisodia granted bail by Supreme Court in Delhi excise policy case

TOI

NEW DELHI : The Supreme court granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Friday in relation to corruption and money laundering cases tied to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Sisodia, who has been in custody for 17 months, was released as the court highlighted the infringement on his right to a speedy trial. The verdict has been hailed by AAP as a victory of truth.

Manish Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister of Delhi, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, for irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took him into custody on March 9, 2023, for money laundering charges connected to the same case. Sisodia had resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.

The decision to grant bail was made by a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan. The bench noted that Sisodia had been held for 17 months without the commencement of his trial, which they stated deprived him of his right to a speedy trial.

Following the Supreme court's decision, several AAP leaders expressed their joy and relief. Raghav Chadha, a party MP, shared his happiness on social media. "The whole country is happy today as Manish Sisodia, the hero of Delhi education revolution, got bail. I express my gratitude to the Honorable Supreme court from the bottom of my heart," he wrote.

He further stated, "Manish ji was kept behind the bars for 530 days. His crime was that he gave a better future to the children of the poor. Dear children, your Manish uncle is coming back."

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh described the verdict as a "victory of truth." He commented, "This verdict is a slap on the Centre's dictatorship. He was in jail for 17 months. His life was destroyed in those months. He could have worked for the education of children during that time."

Singh also expressed hope for other party leaders, saying, "We hope that other leaders of the party, Arvind Kejriwal and Satyendar Jain, will also get bail and justice. I bow down before the Supreme court for this verdict."

The decision is seen as a significant boost for the AAP. Delhi Education Minister Atishi echoed this sentiment by posting "Satyamev Jayate" on social media.

Sisodia's bail plea was based on the argument that he had remained in custody for 17 months with no trial starting against him. Both the ED and CBI had opposed his bail requests.