New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on pleas of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia seeking bail in the corruption and money laundering case registered in connection with the alleged Delhi Excise Policy “scam”.
A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan reserved the verdict on Sisodia’s bail pleas after hearing submissions from Sisodia, represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and central investigating agencies – Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) – represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju.
While ASG Raju opposed Sisodia’s bail pleas and alleged Sisodia and other accused persons in the case of delaying the trial in the cases by taking five months for inspecting documents which were not relevant to the trial, Singhvi argued for grant of bail to Sisodia and refuting the charge of the central agencies that he was responsible for delay in the trial of the cases.
What did CBI, ED argue before the top court?
ASG Raju argued that the delay in the trial of the case was solely attributable to Sisodia and other accused of the cases, accusing them of filing multiple applications before the trial court and seeking supply of various documents. Opposing Sisodia’s bail pleas, ASG Raju further told the bench that he could temper with evidence and influence witnesses, if released on bail.
There were a lot of evidence which indicated direct involvement of Sisodia: ASG Raju
ASG Raju further told the top court bench that it was not a fabricated case as there were a lot of evidence which indicated direct involvement of Sisodia and the agency has documents to show his neck-deep involvement in the matter and it is not as if he is an innocent person and was just picked up.
Singhvi rebutted submissions of ASG Raju, urged apex court to grant Sisodia bail
Singhvi rebutted the submissions of ASG Raju, submitting that all applications filed by Sisodia were allowed by the trial court and these were not challenged. Urging the top court to grant Sisodia bail, he submitted that he has been in jail for last 17 months and has already undergone half of the minimum sentence and said that larger liberty question is involved.
Trial have not even started and investigation to trace proceeds of crime is still ongoing, Singhvi told apex court
Highlighting the progress of the cases, Singhvi told the bench that the trial in the cases have not even started and investigation to trace proceeds of crime is still ongoing. He also opposed the submissions of ASG Raju that Sisodia should approach the trial court for relief.
The bench during the hearing asked ASG Raju how long it will take to complete trial in the cases and also remarked that none of the applications of Sisodia were rejected by the trial court saying it is frivolous or vexatious. The bench also asked ASG Raju “Where do you draw the line between policy and criminality”, when he referred to the details of the excise policy.
Sisodia moved apex court challenging Delhi High Court orders denying him bail in CBI, ED cases
Sisodia moved the top court challenging the May 21 order of the Delhi High Court refusing to grant him bail in money laundering and corruption cases.
The top court on June 4 disposed of Sisodia’s bail pleas and granted him liberty to revive his bail pleas after the final prosecution complaint and charge sheet are filed before the trial court. Later, he moved the top court seeking to revive his bail pleas.
The apex court earlier in October last year dismissed Sisodia’s bail pleas in both case, however, it granted him liberty to move a fresh bail plea before the trial court after three months if there was a change in the circumstances or trial got protracted.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in the excise policy-linked corruption case in February last year and later the ED also arrested him in the money laundering case from Tihar Jail.