Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is going to walk out of jail after 17 months as the Supreme Court granted him bail in the excise policy case on Friday.
A two-judge Bench Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan hearing the bail application of Sisodia allowed the bail application on the plea of the petitioner’s advocate, who argued,
” The case has not started in the trial court even after 17 months of Sisodia’ arrest despite assurances from ED and CBI.”
The Supreme Court granted the bail saying there is not even remotest possibility of starting the trial in near future and he can’t be kept in the jail for indefinite period.”
Sisodia is second Aam Admi Party (AAP)leader after Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh arrested in Excise Polic and Money Laundering case, to get the bail.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejariwal is still in jail .
The case was heard after after Sisodia approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the trial had not begun despite assurances from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2023 that it would be concluded within six to eight months.
The court added that it did not see any error in the order of the trial court or High Court in considering the merits of the case but was granting Sisodia bail as there is not the remotest possibility of the trial concluding in near future.
Reacting to the decision, AAP Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader Sanjay Singh called it a “victory of truth”. “As I have said earlier, there is no truth/evidence in this case. Our leaders were forcibly put in jail. Manish Sisodia was kept in jail for 17 months… I thank the Supreme Court that we got justice and the decision has come in favour.
