Delhi excise policy case: SC grants bail to ex-AAP functionary Vijay Nair
An SC Bench noted that Nair has been in jail for 22 months in the PMLA case in which the maximum punishment is seven years
The Supreme Court has granted bail to former AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying liberty is “sacrosanct”.
Relying on the legal principle of “bail is rule and jail is exception” cited by a Coordinate Bench, the top court said pre-trial incarceration cannot be a punishment.
A Bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti noted that Nair has been in jail for the past 22 months in the money-laundering case where the maximum punishment is seven years.
Delhi excise policy case
On August 12, the Bench had sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Nair’s bail plea. Nair, who was arrested by the agency on November 13, 2022, had challenged the trial court’s July 29 order dismissing his default bail plea.
On July 3 last year, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant bail to Nair and other co-accused in the money-laundering case.
The money-laundering case stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR, which was lodged after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a probe into the alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
(With agency inputs)