Delhi excise policy case: Supreme Court denies bail to Manish Sisodia

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Live Law. However, the highest court directed that the trial should be finished within six to eight months; and if it drags on slowly, the AAP leader will be entitled to apply for bail again within three months, as reported by Live Law.

Earlier on 17 October, SC had told the ED that if a bribe that was allegedly paid for tweaking the Delhi excise policy is not part of the predicate offence, it would be difficult to prove the money-laundering case against Sisodia. Meanwhile, the former Delhi deputy CM was arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the ‘scam’ and has been in custody since then.

He had also resigned from the Delhi cabinet on 28 February. Then in March, the ED had arrested Sisodia in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR after questioning him in Tihar Jail.

On 30 May, the Delhi high court had denied him bail in the CBI case, saying having been the deputy chief minister and excise minister, he is a "high-profile" person who has the potential to influence the witnesses. On July 3, the high court had declined him bail in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy, holding that the charges against him are "very serious in nature".

The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption. (With inputs from agencies)"Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels