Supreme Court rejects Manish Sisodia's bail plea in liquor policy case

The Supreme Court on June 4 rejected a bail plea by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia who is facing money laundering charges in connection with the Delhi excise policy, in which Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is also an accused.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the court that a chargesheet will be filed in the matter by July 3, and the Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta said bail cannot be granted until that time.

“We will not say anything. We will dispose with liberty to revive your prayers. We are not saying anything on merits and all contentions are left open. In both the CBI and ED cases the order is common… Ordered accordingly and disposed of statement of SG that final chargesheet will (be) filed by July 3 recorded,” the apex court said.

Appearing on behalf of Sisodia, who has been in prison since February 2023, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Sanghvi said: “Liberty to move Supreme Court? I am inside for 15 months. Let me be very blunt… trial courts do not deal with politically sensitive matters on time.”

The Supreme Court was hearing Sisodia's appeal against a recent High Court order which denied him bail in the case, saying the conduct of the former deputy chief minister of Delhi amounts to “great betrayal of democratic principles.”

Sisodia, along with other member of AAP including Kejriwal, allegedly granted liquor licenses to certain traders in exchange for kickbacks and tweaked the national capital's excise policy to benefit certain liquor sellers.