Supreme Court Rejects Manish Sisodia's Bail Plea In Delhi Excise Policy Case

In a setback for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, the Supreme Court today rejected his bail plea in the alleged Delhi Excise Policy case. The SC said that Sisodia can apply for bail at a later stage if the case progresses at a slow speed. The apex court also noted that the money trail allegations are tentatively established in the case.

Supreme Court also directed the probe agencies to conclude the trial in the case within six to eight months. The apex court said that if the trial proceeds at a slow pace, Sisodia can apply for bail again at a later stage. The top court also noted that the aspects regarding the transfer of money trail of Rs 338 crores is tentatively established, reported ANI.

The case is related to irregularities in liquor policy. The order was delivered by a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti. Manish Sisodia had moved the apex court for bail in CBI and ED cases related to the alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy case. The AAP leader has challenged the Delhi High Court order rejecting his bail plea.

In the courtroom proceedings, the judges had inquired about the expected duration for the trial to reach its conclusion. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), indicated that the trial could potentially be wrapped up within a span of 9 to 12 months.

In contestation of Sisodia's bail request, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) also cited a single line from the Supreme Court's ruling, which upheld the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ASG emphasized that as per Section 45 of the PMLA, bail can be granted exclusively in cases deemed "genuine."

Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in February 2023 for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of now-scrapped new excise policy for Delhi. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody. According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most important and vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy.