Manish Sisodia gets bail, SC says AAP leader 'deprived of right to speedy trial'

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia.

“Appeal allowed. Delhi High Court order is quashed and set aside. He is granted bail in both ED and CBI cases,” a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said, granting bail to Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister.

Sisodia was arrested over the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy case by the CBI and ED on February 26 and March 9 last year, respectively.

The court has set no condition for Sisodia’s bail. The leader has to acquire a personal bail bond of Rs 2 lakh.

The bail application filed by Sisodia has been allowed by the court in cases lodged by both ED and CBI considering the delay in commencing the trial in the Delhi liquor policy case.

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“We find that on account of long incarceration running around 17 months and trial having not been commenced, the appellant has been deprived of the right to speedy trial,” the apex court observed.

The court also highlighted that there is “no possibility” that Sisodia’s trial will be completed in the near future since there are over 400 witnesses and thousands of documents related to the case. “To keep Sisodia under custody in such a scenario would result in grave violation of the fundamental right to personal liberty,” the two-judge bench said.

Sisodia CAN carry out official duties

Unlike Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was not allowed to carry out official duties when he was out on bail during the Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court said that Sisodia can perform his official duties while out on bail.

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The court turned down oral pleas by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to restrain Sisodia from visiting the Delhi Secretariat and carrying out his official duties.

“Those conditions were for the CM. It can’t be in this case,” Justice BR Gavai told ASG SV Raju.

AAP rejoice 

Sisodia’s AAP colleagues have welcomed the top court’s ruling.

“We are very happy with this SC decision,” said Sanjay Singh, who was released earlier this year.

He added, “This is a big slap on the face of central govt dictatorship.”

“The whole country is happy today after Manish Sisodia ji, the hero of Delhi’s education revolution, got bail. I express my gratitude to the honourable Supreme Court from the bottom of my heart,” Raghav Chadha said.

With inputs from agencies