The Supreme Court has granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam. The court noted that Sisodia has been in custody for 17 months without the trial commencing, which contravenes the right to a speedy trial.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan commented that it would be unjust to require Sisodia to return to the trial court for a bail hearing. The court underscored that the principle of bail should be standard, with incarceration being an exception.
Sisodia is to be released on a personal bond of ₹1 million and two sureties of the same amount. He was initially arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, over alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) subsequently arrested him on March 9, 2023, in a related money laundering case. Sisodia resigned from his position as Delhi’s deputy chief minister on February 28, 2023.
The ED and CBI had opposed Sisodia’s bail plea. In response to the verdict, AAP hailed the decision as a “victory of truth,” with party MP Raghav Chadha and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh expressing gratitude and optimism for other party leaders still in custody.
In a related development, a Delhi court extended Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s judicial custody until August 20, with proceedings continuing in the corruption case linked to the excise policy.
