"Like Snakes And Ladders": Why Supreme Court Granted Bail To Manish Sisodia

Manish Sisodia, former Delhi deputy chief minister, has been granted bail in alleged corruption cases linked to the Delhi liquor policy. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader will walk out of jail 17 months after his arrest.

Here are the top quotes from the Supreme Court's judgment:

• "A citizen cannot be made to run from pillar to post. It would be a travesty of justice to relegate the appellant to the trial court."
• "Procedures cannot be made a mistress of justice."
• "Right to speedy trial is a sacrosanct right... Bail cannot be opposed saying that the crime is serious. In matters of liberty, every day counts"
• "High court and trial court are playing safe in matters of bail... Bail is a rule, and jail is an exception."
• "Keeping him behind bars for the purpose of completion of trial will be nothing but a violation of Article 21."
• "Liberty reserved by this court on June 4 will have to be interpreted as reviving of prayer before this court."
• "We have noted judgments where it says in periods of long incarceration, bail can be granted."
• "Sending the appellant back to the trial court would be like playing a game of snakes and ladders with him."
• "The trial court and the High Court have already taken a view and in our view relegating the appellant again to the trial court and the High Court would be an empty formality. In a matter pertaining to the life and liberty of a citizen which is one of the most sacrosanct rights guaranteed by the Constitution, a citizen cannot be made to run from pillar to post."

Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023 for alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI report on March 9, 2023.

He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.

Mr Sisodia had sought bail contending that he has been in custody for 17 months and the trial against him has not yet started.

The ED and the CBI had opposed his bail pleas.