Supreme Court Verdict On Manish Sisodia's Bail Appeal Tomorrow

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia - in jail for more than 17 months --- will get the decision of the Supreme Court on his request for bail tomorrow. Since his arrest in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case in February 2023, Mr Sisodia had his judicial custody extended multiple times.  He is facing cases filed by both Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. 

On May 21, the Delhi High Court refused to grant him bail. The court said he had misused his position and if not behind bars, could influence the evidence and witnesses.

On August 6, the top court, which was hearing his appeal, had reserved its decision after asking the Central investigating agencies how long the trial will take to conclude.

"There are 493 witnesses. Assuming even if you drop 50 per cent of them, it comes to nearly 250. Realistically, tell us where do you see the end of the tunnel?" a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan had asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, who was representing the probe agencies.

The ASG had said the delay was due to multiple applications filed by Mr Sisodia and others, seeking inspection of documents unrelated to the chargesheet filed in May last year.  The trial could have proceeded but for this delaying tactics, he had added. 

The bench observed that none of applications have been rejected by the court terming them as frivolous or intended to delay the trial. Asked when the trial can begin, Mr Raju said, "Within a month of the framing of charges".

The judges had pointed out that during the hearing of June 4, when Mr Sisodia challenged the High Court order and sought bail in top court, the ED had said it would file the final chargesheet by July 3.

"Now to say that we wanted trial to be begin but they delayed, is there not some incongruence in your submission," the bench had said.