Supreme Court Grants Bail to AAP Leader Manish Sisodia in Excise Policy Case
New Delhi, August 9: Opposition leaders have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in the excise policy irregularities case.
Reactions from Political Leaders
CPI General Secretary D Raja expressed approval, stating, “We welcome it… now the judiciary itself has started questioning the ED and the investigation conducted by it and this is a slap on the face of the ED.”
DMK MP Kanimozhi added, “Finally, there is some semblance of justice, more needs to be done. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has still not got bail…The law does not insist on jail…Everybody has the right to get bail.”
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu commented, “Every criminal including a murderer and a rapist also gets bail.”
Supreme Court’s Decision
The Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justice B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, granted bail to Manish Sisodia with conditions such as surrendering his passport and not influencing witnesses. The court was hearing Sisodia’s appeal against the Delhi High Court’s dismissal of his bail plea in cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Arguments in Court
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the probe agencies, raised concerns that witnesses might be influenced and mentioned evidence of destroyed phone records. He also criticized Sisodia for filing various unrelated applications.
Senior Advocate A M Singhvi, representing Sisodia, argued that seventeen months had already passed, which is nearly half of the minimum possible sentence. He countered the allegations on profit margins, stating that the decisions were made by the cabinet after discussions with officials, including the then Lieutenant Governor.
Background of the Case
In February 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of Delhi’s now-scrapped new excise policy. The policy was withdrawn amid opposition allegations of foul play. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody, with the CBI claiming he played a crucial role in the criminal conspiracy related to the policy.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions on legal matters.
Bail -: Bail is when someone who has been arrested is allowed to go home until their trial, but they must follow certain rules.
AAP -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, a political party in India that focuses on common people’s issues.
Manish Sisodia -: Manish Sisodia is a leader in the Aam Aadmi Party and has held important positions in the Delhi government.
Excise Policy -: Excise policy refers to the rules and regulations related to taxes on goods like alcohol and tobacco.
CPI -: CPI stands for Communist Party of India, a political party that believes in leftist ideologies.
D Raja -: D Raja is a leader in the Communist Party of India.
DMK -: DMK stands for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a political party in Tamil Nadu, India.
Kanimozhi -: Kanimozhi is a leader in the DMK party and a Member of Parliament.
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation, which is India’s main investigative agency.
Judicial Custody -: Judicial custody means that a person is kept in jail while they are waiting for their trial.
