Tuesday, the Supreme Court asked for industrial and commercial bank as well as emergency room. This was in reference to bail application of AAP Leaders Manish Sisodia for alleged corruption and money laundering cases relating to Delhi GST Policy Scam. Sisodia who once served as Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi has been under detention for 16 months now arguing that there has been no progress in his trial since October last year.
Justice BR Gavai, Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice KV Viswanathan constituted a bench that agreed to take up pleas by Sisodia which encompassed applications to restore his bails in two cases. On July 29, it asked the CBI and ED to reply on the plea of Sisodia.
Sisodia’s defence counsel Vivek Jain told the court that his client has been in custody since 16 months ago and stage is still the same as it was when he had been allowed by the court on October 2023; if everything goes according to plan, he can re-apply for bail .
On February 26, 2023, CBI arrested him in connection with a liquor policy case; ED took him into custody on March 9 last year related to another money-laundering case. He resigned from Delhi Cabinet on February 28 last year. The issue concerns allegations of corruption and money-laundering against the government of Delhi regarding formulation and implementation of non-existent GST policy for 2021-22.
The Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Kumar on July 11 recused himself from hearing Sisodia’s plea. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi who appeared for Mr. Sisodia mentioned that the trials have not yet started in both these matters so this matter should be listed urgently.
Earlier on June 4th, The High Court had rejected Manish’s bail plea stating that he may file afresh after final charge sheet/charge sheet of ED and CBI are filed. Subsequent to the filing of these documents, he was granted freedom by the court in order to pray afresh and any such bail plea will stand on its own merits.
Sisodia had contested a decision of the Delhi High Court that turned down his plea for bail towards two cases being investigated by two central agencies. The High Court had upheld the trial judge’s April 30 order refusing Sisodia’s bail application related to alleged irregularities in formulating and implementing the now defunct Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
The Supreme Court on October 30 last year denied him bail in a corruption and money-laundering case saying there were no “huge profits” of Rs 3.38 billion from wholesale liquor dealers supported with evidence on temporary basis. Nevertheless, it gave Sisodia liberty to approach the court for relief if circumstances change or trial is delayed.
