Delhi excise policy: SC posts Manish Sisodia bail plea on August 5
A Bench headed by Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan acquiesced to a request made by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for more time to file a counter affidavit
AAP leader Manish Sisodia produced before the Rouse Avenue Court in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy, in New Delhi on July 6, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Supreme Court on July 29 agreed to have a detailed hearing on petitions filed by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for bail in the excise policy case on August 5.
A Bench headed by Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan acquiesced to a request made by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for more time to file a counter affidavit.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already filed its counter affidavit.
Manish Sisodia denied bail for second time in excise case
Mr. Raju, appearing for both the CBI and ED, voiced a preliminary objection that Mr. Sisodia was repeatedly challenging the same order on his bail.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, appearing for Mr. Sisodia, retorted that the Central agencies were deliberately taking turns to delay the bail hearing.
The Bench directed Mr. Raju to file the ED counter by Thursday, and posted the case for hearing on Monday (August 5).
Also read | Delhi Excise Policy case: Delhi High Court denies bail to Manish Sisodia
Mr. Sisodia is facing corruption and money-laundering charges linked to framing a liquor policy for the National Capital favouring certain lobbies in return for kickbacks.
The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 for his alleged role in the “scam” and the ED arrested him in a money-laundering case originating from the CBI First Information Report on March 9, last year. The Delhi High Court had rejected his bail application on May 21.
Watch | What was the New Delhi Excise Policy all about, and why is Arvind Kejriwal in trouble?
A Vacation Bench of the apex court of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta had also refused bail to Mr. Sisodia on June 4. However, the Bench gave the Aam Aadmi Party leader liberty to “revive” his plea for bail, afresh, as soon as the final chargesheet/prosecution complaint was filed by the CBI and ED, respectively, in the case.
The court had on June 4 recorded an undertaking from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for both the CBI and the ED, that the final chargesheet/prosecution complaint, signalling the completion of investigation in the excise policy case, would be filed in the trial court on or before July 3, 2024.
In the previous hearing, Mr. Singhvi had said the trial proceedings had remained static and the top court should consider Mr. Sisodia’s long incarceration while considering the bail plea.
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Aam Aadmi Party
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corruption & bribery
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money laundering
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judiciary (system of justice)