Supreme Court seeks CBI, ED's reply on bail pleas filed by Manish Sisodia

New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on bail pleas of senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the alleged liquor policy scam.

A bench presided over by Justice BR Gavai asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file their reply in the matter by July 29.

“Issue notice returnable on July 29. We will have this on Monday after two weeks,” ordered the Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and KV Viswanathan.

Sisodia’s counsel argued that the senior AAP leader has been incarcerated for 16 months and the trial remained at the same stage as it was in October 2023.

In its judgment delivered on October 30 last year, the SC had denied bail to the former Deputy CM but said that if the trial proceeds slowly in the next three months, he may apply for bail afresh.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Court had on April 30, refused to grant bail to Sisodia who was seeking regular bail a second time. Denying bail, the trial court order noted that delays in the case proceedings were largely due to actions attributable to Sisodia himself, dismissing his claims of undue delay.

Subsequently, the Delhi High Court denied bail to Sisodia, saying that he failed to pass the triple test for grant of bail in the corruption case and the twin conditions required under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Challenging this, the former Deputy CM filed special leave petitions before the Supreme Court. Last month, the apex court had disposed of the former Deputy CM’s pleas seeking bail in corruption and money laundering cases after Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, the second-highest law officer of the Centre, made an undertaking that the final charge sheet/complaint in the liquor policy case would be filed by July 3.

Recently, SC judge, Justice Sanjay Kumar withdrew himself from hearing Sisodia’s bail pleas. A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the matter to be listed in the week commencing July 15 before a different Bench after obtaining the directions of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), who is the master of the roster.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Sisodia till July 22. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order upon the expiry of the previously granted judicial custody.