Manish Sisodia resigned from Arvind Kejriwal's cabinet on February 28 (File)
A decision on two separate bail pleas of Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is expected from the Supreme Court today. Mr Sisodia was arrested in connection with the liquor scam in February and has been in jail since.
Here are the Top 10 points in this big story:
- The Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on Mr Sisodia's bail plea earlier this month. The 51-year-old has sought bail in two separate cases against him -- one filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the other by the Enforcement Directorate.
- During one of the earlier hearings, the top court had asked the Central agencies a series of tough questions, including how they were going to establish the chain of evidence.
- "You (probe agency) have to establish a chain. The money has to flow from the liquor lobby to the person... Policy changes, even if wrong, without a money consideration will not matter. It's the money part that makes it an offence," the court had said.
- "How will you bring him (Manish Sisodia) under the money laundering act? The money is not going to him. In case it is a company with whom he is involved, then we have vicarious liability. Otherwise, the prosecution falters," the judges had said.
- The court had also questioned how long it would be before the trial begins, underscoring that Mr Sisodia cannot be kept indefinitely in jail. "Once a chargesheet is filed, arguments should commence immediately," the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti had said.
- Mr Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the Delhi liquor scam. The Enforcement Directorate arrested him in a money laundering case linked to the CBI's First Information Report on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar Jail.
- Mr Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government, resigned from the cabinet on February 28. He was handling 18 portfolios at the time, including the Excise Department.
- The CBI contends that liquor companies were involved in framing the excise policy, which would have brought them a 12 per cent profit. A liquor lobby it dubbed the "South Group" had paid kickbacks, part of which was routed to public servants. The Enforcement Directorate alleged the laundering of the kickbacks.
- The High Court had denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30, saying he is a "high-profile" person who has the potential to influence witnesses. On July 3, it declined bail in the money laundering case.
- Mr Sisodia has denied wrongdoing. His party said his arrest is an "attack on the Delhi model of governance". In charge of the flagship education portfolio, Mr Sisodia was responsible for much of it.
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