Supreme Court Grants Bail to Manish Sisodia in Liquor Policy Case

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the ongoing CBI and ED investigations related to the alleged liquor policy ‘scam’. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Vishwanathan, who emphasized that the prolonged delay in trial and extended incarceration have infringed upon Sisodia’s right to liberty as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The justices highlighted the importance of adhering to the principle that bail should be the norm, with jail being an exception. They criticized the lower courts for failing to recognize this legal principle and stated that bail should not be denied merely due to the delay in the trial process. The bench dismissed the argument that Sisodia was responsible for the delay by filing multiple applications for documents before the trial court. It noted that he had filed only 13 applications in the CBI case and 14 in the ED case.

The court further underscored that Sisodia’s right to a speedy trial, a fundamental right, had been compromised, stressing that this right applies regardless of the seriousness of the charges. Sisodia was arrested on February 26, 2023, and had been seeking bail in connection with the cases brought against him by the CBI and ED.

After the court delivered its verdict, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the CBI and ED, requested the imposition of conditions on Sisodia’s bail, such as restrictions on visiting the Delhi Secretariat. However, the bench rejected this plea.