SC dismisses Manish Sisodia’s Bail Plea in Liquor Policy Case
SC has rejected bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in cases related to corruption and money laundering linked to the Delhi liquor policy.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has rejected bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in cases related to corruption and money laundering linked to the Delhi liquor policy. The Supreme Court’s decision was based on the tentative establishment of a money trail amounting to Rs 338 crore in the case.
A bench consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti, which had previously reserved its verdict on October 17 regarding two separate bail applications filed by Sisodia, announced the verdict.
The bench noted that there was a tentative establishment of the transfer of Rs 338 crore, stating, “We have therefore dismissed the applications for bail.”
However, the court also mentioned that the prosecution has assured that the trial would conclude within six to eight months. The court added that if the trial proceeds slowly within three months, Sisodia would be entitled to file a new bail application.
With Sisodia’s bail pleas denied, sources within the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conveyed to India Today ED that the Supreme Court’s decision indicated acceptance of the probe agency’s arguments and evidence against the AAP leader.
During the October 17 hearing, the Supreme Court directed the ED, expressing doubts about the alleged bribe being part of the predicate offense, stating that it would be challenging to establish the money-laundering case against Sisodia.
Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 in connection with the “scam” and has remained in custody since then. The ED arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering case linked to the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR) on March 9, following his questioning in Tihar jail.
Ms Kalinga