One aspect of the case, with regard to transfer of money of ₹338 crores, is tentatively established, the court said while denying bail
Manish Sisodia. (Creative Commons)
In a big setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Supreme Court on Monday, 30 October, dismissed the plea for bail by former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia both in the alleged criminal case by the CBI and a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi excise policy scam.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, heading a Bench also comprising Justice SVN Bhatti, pronounced the judgement rejecting Sisodia’s bail plea.
Directing fast-tracking of the trial, Justice Khanna, speaking for the Bench, said, “Legal questions have been answered in a limited way. In the analysis, if there are certain aspects, which we said are doubtful. But one aspect, with regard to transfer of money, ₹338 crore, is tentatively established. We have therefore dismissed the application for bail.”
Justice Khanna said, “We have made a pointed observation, which is that they have assured that the trial will be concluded within six to eight months. So, within three months, if the trial proceeds sloppily or slowly, he will be entitled to make an application for bail.”
Sisodia had moved the Supreme Court for bail both in the CBI and ED cases in the alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy case. He has challenged Delhi High Court order rejecting his bail plea.
The Delhi High Court denied him bail in both the matters.
In its order passed on 3 July in the ED case, the high court had stated that inter alia it was of the view that in view of the high political positions held by the accused and his position in the party in power in Delhi, the possibility of influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.
On 26 February, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of Delhi’s new excise policy. The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the Opposition. He is currently in judicial custody.
Earlier this month, AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the ED in Delhi, in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case.
The arrest came as a jolt to Delhi’s ruling party after its third top leader was held by a central agency in over a year.
The arrest of 51-year-old Sanjay Singh, who became the second high-profile leader of the AAP to be nabbed in the case relating to the now-scrapped excise policy after former deputy chief minister Sisodia, sparked a political slugfest between the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and the BJP.
Delhi minister Satyendar Kumar Jain was arrested by the ED on 30 May 2022 in a separate money laundering case.
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