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Top court defers Sisodia’s bail plea hearing to Sept 4
Sisodia sought interim bail on grounds of his wife’s ill health, but a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Batti observed that her condition was stable
The Supreme Court on Friday deferred to September 4 the hearing of Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia’s bail pleas in two cases filed against him — one by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the other by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — in connection with alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
Sisodia sought interim bail on grounds of his wife’s ill health, but a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Batti observed that her condition was stable, and agreed to consider the matter after a month, when his regular bail plea will also be heard.
The court also asked ED to explain how it traced the money trail allegedly involving Sisodia in its case, and said, “You have cited his role in the policy decision and on tampering of evidence, you say one file is missing. We need a clear picture of how the money trail is established. From a reading of your affidavit, it does not become clear.”
Sisodia moved the top court after the Delhi high court in separate orders denied him bail in the ED and CBI cases in connection with the excise policy. He had additionally sought interim bail on account of the prolonged illness of his wife, who suffers from an autoimmune disease.
On Friday, the matter was placed only for consideration of interim bail.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing with advocate Vivek Jain for Sisodia, produced the medical reports of July 29, suggesting that his wife’s condition was deteriorating as she was gradually experiencing loss of vision, restricted walking condition, and diminishing bowel movement. As there was nobody else in the family to take care of her, Sisodia requested the court on humanitarian grounds to release him on bail for at least two weeks.
The bench said, “This is a stable condition. We will take this plea after some time.”
The court ordered to “re-list” the matter along with the pending petitions by Sisodia for regular bail in the week commencing September 4.
ED opposed his release and suggested that his wife be examined by a team of doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to know her latest condition. The bench refused, saying, “You (ED) can get her papers examined. If she is already going to a reputed doctor, why should we suggest that the doctor be changed?”
CBI arrested Sisodia after an eight-hour long interrogation on February 26. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue court on February 27 and remanded to CBI custody for five days. CBI, during the hearing, alleged that specific verbal and documentary evidence had surfaced in the case, proving that Sisodia played a key role in framing the policy. On March 4, the court extended Sisodia’s CBI custody for two days. He was then sent to Tihar jail.
ED arrested Sisodia on March 9 while he was already in Tihar Jail in connection with the CBI case. The money laundering agency has alleged that Sisodia was instrumental not only in the framing and implementation of the policy but also in the generation of proceeds of crime and recoupment of kickbacks. ED also alleged that he had incorporated certain clauses for the benefit of the alleged “South Group” and had destroyed digital evidence.
Sisodia has denied all charges, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has said the cases are part of a political witch-hunt against the party’s senior leaders.
