Delhi Excise Policy Scam: Supreme Court To Hear Manish Sisodia's Bail Plea In CBI And ED Cases On July 14

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on July 14, 2023, the plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia seeking bail in the CBI and ED cases arising out of the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

The Bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha agreed to post the matter for consideration after Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the matter seeking an urgent hearing.

Referring to the ailing condition of Sisodia's wife, Singhvi submitted that the lady is again being hospitalised for the second time and that it is a bail matter. "Okay list on the 14th", said the CJI.

Sisodia moved the Apex Court challenging the two orders of the Delhi High Court which had dismissed his separate bail petitions in these cases. Sisodia, who also held the excise portfolio among many that he handled as the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was first arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the "scam", and has been in custody since then. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.

The High Court had on May 30 denied bail to him in the excise policy scam case being probed by the CBI, saying having been the deputy chief minister and excise minister, he is a "high-profile" person who has the potential to influence the witnesses. On July 3, the High Court declined him bail in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy, holding the charges against him were "very serious in nature". Sisodia was arrested by the ED in connection with the money laundering case on March 9.

Cause Title: Manish Sisodia vs. CBI [SLP(Crl.) No.8167/23 & 8188/23]