Delhi excise policy: Supreme Court grants bail to Manish Sisodia after 17 months in jail
PTC Web Desk: Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been granted bail by the Supreme Court in both the CBI and ED cases related to the Delhi excise policy. Sisodia was first arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, and subsequently by the ED on March 9, 2023. After spending over 530 days (more than 17 months) in jail, Manish Sisodia is now set to be released.
The order has been delivered by a Bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan. The court also imposed various conditions, including surrendering the passport and not influencing witnesses.
The top court was hearing Manish Sisodia's appeal challenging the Delhi High Court order that dismissed his bail plea in the cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the probe agencies, had raised apprehension that witnesses may be influenced.
ASG Raju said some important witnesses could be examined. He further added that these witnesses could be influenced. He also said that there was evidence that he had destroyed phone records.
ASG had blamed Sisodia for filing various miscellaneous applications related to the supply of unrelated documents. He also said the trial could have proceeded irrespective of further investigation.
Senior Advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, had said seventeen months were already over which was almost half of the minimum possible sentence in the case.
He has also countered probe agencies' allegations on profit margin and said it was the Cabinet decisions taken after deliberations with many officials including then LG.
ASG Raju on Monday stated that one could not arbitrarily increase the profit margins without reason.
In February 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of now-scrapped Delhi's new excise policy.
The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the opposition. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody.
According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the said conspiracy.
- With inputs from agencies
