Supreme Court Grants Bail to Manish Sisodia, Cites Right to Speedy Trial

The Supreme Court of India has granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. Sisodia, who was in jail for 17 months, was granted bail in both the ED and CBI cases. The court emphasized that Sisodia’s right to a speedy trial had been denied by the trial court and High Court.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan noted that despite the long incarceration, the trial had not commenced, leading to the deprivation of Sisodia’s right to a speedy trial. The court also highlighted that bail should be the rule, not the exception, and that Sisodia’s continued imprisonment would violate Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court rejected arguments from the ED and CBI that Sisodia should seek bail from the trial court, comparing it to a “snake and ladder” game that undermines personal liberty. The bench stated that the triple test for bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) did not apply in this case due to delays in the trial.

Sisodia must furnish a Rs 10 lakh bail bond, surrender his passport, and report to the police station twice a week. The court also allowed him to enter the Delhi Secretariat, rejecting the CBI and ED’s request to bar him from official duties.