Supreme Court To Hear Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's Bail Plea On July 14

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on July 14, 2023, a plea seeking bail for Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha listed the matter after mentioning by Senior Advocate Dr AM Singhvi. 

Dr AM Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, cited the illness of Sisodia's wife to seek urgent listing.

"It's a bail matter. The lady is again being hospitalised, for the second time. There is some genuine emergency."

Singhvi was referring to Sisodia's wife who had earlier fallen sick in June 2023. In June, the Delhi High Court had allowed the Aam Aadmi Party leader to meet his wife for one day and ordered that he shall not interact with media or use his mobile phone. However, the High Court had rejected Sisodia’s application seeking interim bail for six weeks in view of the poor health condition of his wife.

Upon the mentioning, CJI DY Chandrachud said–

"Alright, list on 14th."

Last week, the Delhi High Court had denied bail to Sisodia in the money laundering case related to the implementation of previous liquor policy in national capital. Earlier, on May 30, the High Court had denied him bail in the corruption case registered by the CBI in relation to the liquor policy.

The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on February 26. It is the case of the probe agency that there were irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy for the year 2021-22.

The CBI alleged that Sisodia was arrested as he gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence.

The CBI FIR states that Sisodia and others were instrumental in “recommending and taking decisions” regarding the excise policy 2021-22 “without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licensee post tender.”

On the other hand, ED has alleged that the excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12% to certain private companies. It has said that such a stipulation was not mentioned in the minutes of meetings of Group of Ministers (GoM).

The agency has also claimed that there was a conspiracy which was coordinated by Vijay Nair and other individuals along with South Group to give extraordinary profit margin to wholesalers. Nair was acting on behalf of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, according to the agency.