Excise scam: SC agrees to hear bail plea of Sisodia in cases filed by CBI, ED

After the Delhi high court last week declined him bail in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the city government’s excise policy, the Supreme Court on Monday (July 10) has agreed to hear the bail pleas of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on July 14.

This is again related to the excise policy scam case probed by the CBI and the money laundering matter arising out of it.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha agreed to hear the matter after senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the former Delhi deputy chief minister, urged the court to take it up for hearing on grounds that his wife was seriously ill and hospitalised.

The bench said although the matter is listed for hearing on July 17, it will take it up for hearing on July 14.

Also read: Manish Sisodia withdraws interim bail pleas from HC, says wife’s medical condition stable

Last week, Sisodia had moved the top court seeking bail in the CBI and ED cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. He has moved the apex court challenging the two orders of the Delhi high court dismissing his bail petitions in these cases.

Sisodia, who also held the excise portfolio among many that he handled as the deputy CM of Delhi, was first arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the “scam”, and has been in custody since then.

He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.

The high court had on May 30 denied bail to him in the excise policy scam case being probed by the CBI, saying having been the deputy CM 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 a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the city government’s excise policy, holding the charges against him were “very serious in nature”.