Supreme Court Grants Bail to Manish Sisodia After 17 Months of Custody

The Supreme Court has granted bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia after he spent 17 months in jail. His cases involve allegations of corruption and money laundering related to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy.

On August 9, 2024, a bench including Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan acknowledged that Mr. Sisodia had been waiting too long for his trial to begin. They ordered him to pay ₹10 lakh as a bail bond and submit his passport.

As part of his bail conditions, he will also report to the Investigating Officer twice a week and is prohibited from influencing any witnesses.

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to place additional restrictions, similar to those imposed on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during his recent campaign.

Mr. Sisodia was first arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, followed by his arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED on March 9, 2023. He resigned from his position as Deputy Chief Minister shortly after his arrest.

During the hearing, the court emphasized that the lengthy delays in the trial process and Mr. Sisodia’s prolonged incarceration were valid reasons to grant him bail, highlighting the importance of a speedy trial.