SC Eases Bail Conditions for AAP Leader Sisodia

by The_unmuteenglish

New Delhi, 12 December 2024: The Supreme Court on Thursday eased bail conditions for AAP leader Manish Sisodia in corruption and money-laundering cases tied to the Delhi excise policy scam, ruling that regular reporting to investigating agencies was no longer necessary.

A Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan modified the earlier mandate requiring Sisodia to report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers twice a week. The court stated, “The petitioner shall regularly attend the trial.”

Sisodia, the former Delhi deputy chief minister, had been granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 9 after spending 17 months in custody. At that time, the court noted that his prolonged incarceration without trial violated his constitutional right to a speedy trial.

“In a matter pertaining to the life and liberty of a citizen—one of the most sacrosanct rights guaranteed by the Constitution—a citizen cannot be made to run from pillar to post,” the court remarked in its August ruling, criticizing the delay in commencing the trial.

The initial bail order had imposed stringent conditions, including reporting to the investigating officers every Monday and Thursday between 10 and 11 a.m. However, senior advocate AM Singhvi, representing Sisodia, argued last month that Sisodia had already appeared before the agencies 60 times, making the condition redundant.

Sisodia was first arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, over allegations of irregularities in the excise policy. Two days later, he resigned from the Delhi cabinet. The ED subsequently arrested him on March 9, 2023, on money-laundering charges while he was lodged in Tihar Jail.

The Supreme Court’s latest order focuses on ensuring that Sisodia participates in the trial without unnecessary procedural hurdles, signaling a step toward balancing investigative rigor with constitutional safeguards.

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