SC grants bail to Manish Sisodia in excise policy case
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The bail pertains to cases registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy scam.
Why does this story matter?
The CBI arrested Sisodia under the Prevention of Corruption Act on February 26 last year. The ED followed by arresting him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on March 9 the same year. After the Delhi High Court denied his bail request in May, 2023 Sisodia appealed to the Supreme Court.
Delay in filing chargesheet
On October 10, the SC rejected Sisodia's application but questioned some ED charges. The court allowed him to reapply for bail if the trial was delayed. On June 4, a vacation bench declined his bail pleas after the government promised to file the chargesheet soon.
Sisodia entitled to 'speedy trial': SC
In a significant ruling, Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan declared that the Aam Aadmi Party leader is entitled to a "speedy trial," stating that it would be a "travesty of justice to send him back to a trial court." They added that keeping Sisodia in jail for an "unlimited time" violates his fundamental rights.
Justice Gavai pulls up lower courts
"Incarceration of 18 months... Trial not having even commenced and appellant has been deprived of right to speedy trial, " Justice Gavai questioned the lower courts. "Trial court and High Court ought to have given due weightage to this. Courts have forgotten that bail ought not to be withheld as punishment. Principle bail is the rule and jail an exception," he added.
SC slams federal agencies' handling of the case
The Supreme Court also made critical observations regarding the federal agencies' handling of the case. Justice Gavai highlighted one such issue by stating, "In this case 493 witnesses (were) named (and) there is not remotest possibility that Manish Sisodia's trial will conclude in (the near) future."
