Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, celebrated his first morning of freedom on Saturday by sharing a touching selfie with his wife. The photo, posted on X (formerly Twitter), captures the couple enjoying a cup of tea together, a day after Sisodia was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Delhi liquor policy case.
Sisodia, who had spent 17 months in Tihar Jail, expressed his emotions in the caption, “Aazaadi ki subah ki pehli chai… 17 mahine baad!” (“First tea on the morning of independence… after 17 months!”). He further reflected on the significance of freedom, stating, “The freedom that the Constitution has given to all of us Indians as a guarantee of the right to life. The freedom that God has given us to breathe in the open air with everyone.”
Upon his release on Friday, Sisodia was warmly welcomed by AAP leaders and his family, amidst chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai.’ In his remarks, Sisodia expressed deep gratitude to BR Ambedkar, crediting the Constitution for his release. “Ever since this order came in the morning, every inch of my skin has been feeling indebted to Babasaheb. I don’t understand how we will pay off this debt to Babasaheb,” he said.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant Sisodia bail came after it criticized the lower courts for his prolonged incarceration without trial, which violated his right to speedy justice. The court emphasized that delays in trial and extended imprisonment are valid grounds for bail in money laundering cases, despite the strict conditions outlined in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, for his alleged involvement in irregularities related to the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) later detained him on March 9, 2023, as part of a money laundering probe linked to the CBI’s investigation. Following his arrest, Sisodia resigned from his position in the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.
