The Supreme Court is set to address the bail petitions of prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Manish Sisodia, on Friday. The case in question involves the Delhi excise policy and its investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), along with the resulting money-laundering allegations.
Scheduled to hear the petitions are Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi, according to the cause list published on the apex court's official website. These pleas challenge the separate orders issued by the Delhi High Court, which had previously denied Sisodia bail in both the CBI and money-laundering cases, according to media reports.
On July 10, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and his bench agreed to consider Sisodia's pleas on July 14. The urgency was emphasized by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who represents Sisodia, as he informed the top court about the critical condition of the AAP leader's wife, who is currently hospitalized.
Manish Sisodia, who formerly served as the deputy chief minister of Delhi and held the excise portfolio among other responsibilities, was taken into custody by the CBI on February 26. His arrest was linked to his alleged involvement in the excise policy "scam." Since then, Sisodia has remained in custody. Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him on March 9 in connection with the money laundering case stemming from the CBI's First Information Report (FIR), following his interrogation in Tihar jail.
Sisodia tendered his resignation from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, stepping down from his numerous roles, including that of the deputy chief minister. However, the Delhi High Court denied him bail on May 30 in the CBI case, citing his high-profile status and potential to influence witnesses due to his past positions of power.
Similarly, on July 3, the high court rejected his bail application in the money laundering case associated with alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy. The court deemed the charges against him to be of a highly serious nature.
In its May 30 order, the high court highlighted that Sisodia, having been in a position of authority when the alleged scam occurred, cannot disassociate himself from any involvement. Furthermore, the court expressed concerns about his continued influence as a prominent figure within the Aam Aadmi Party, which is still in power in the national capital. Given that the witnesses primarily consist of public servants, the court noted that the possibility of their susceptibility to influence cannot be overlooked.
Both the CBI and the ED claim that the excise policy was modified with irregularities and that undue favors were granted to license holders. The policy, which was implemented by the Delhi government on November 17, 2021, was subsequently scrapped in September 2022 due to corruption allegations.
