Supreme Court to Hear Manish Sisodia’s Bail Pleas in Delhi Excise Policy Case

Lagatar24 Desk

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear the bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia today, July 29, in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Sisodia has been in custody for 16 months following his arrest in February 2023. The hearing will be conducted by a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan.

Here are ten key points about Manish Sisodia’s case:

1. Initial Allegations: In July 2022, Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar submitted a report to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, alleging that Manish Sisodia used kickbacks from liquor vending licensees to fund AAP’s 2022 Punjab election campaign.
2. Arrest by CBI: On February 26, 2023, Sisodia, then Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the alleged excise policy scam. He was charged under sections related to criminal conspiracy (120B), intent to defraud (477A), and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
3. FIR Details: The FIR accused Sisodia of being instrumental in recommending and taking decisions on the excise policy for 2021-22 without proper approval, allegedly to extend undue favours to licensees.
4. ED Arrest: Shortly after the CBI arrest, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sisodia on March 9 in a money laundering case linked to the same excise policy allegations.
5. Resignation: On February 28, 2023, Sisodia, along with fellow AAP leader Satyendar Jain, resigned from their posts in the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.
6. Initial Bail Denial: On October 30, 2023, the Supreme Court denied Sisodia’s bail pleas, citing tentative evidence that suggested wholesale liquor dealers had gained Rs. 338 crores under the excise policy.
7. Further Bail Rejections: Sisodia’s bail pleas were once again rejected by a trial court on April 30, 2024. His appeal in the Delhi High Court was dismissed on May 21, with the Supreme Court upholding these decisions.
8. Extended Custody: Sisodia has been in judicial custody for 16 months. The ED informed the Supreme Court that the trial would last only six to eight months.
9. Previous Supreme Court Decision: On June 4, 2024, the Supreme Court rejected Sisodia’s application to revive his bail pleas, requiring him to wait until the ED and CBI filed their prosecution complaint and chargesheet, respectively.
10. Current Hearing: The chargesheet and prosecution complaint were expected by July 3. As these documents were not filed, the Supreme Court agreed on July 16 to hear Sisodia’s bail pleas along with responses from the ED and CBI.