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Supreme Court on Monday will hear Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia's bail pleas in corruption and money-laundering cases linked to the Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan will take up for hearing both the pleas on August 5.  

 

Sisodia, former Delhi deputy chief minister, has sought bail, citing 16 months in custody and no trial progress since October. 

 

The apex court had earlier refused to entertain Sisodia's bail pleas but allowed him to revive petitions after the ED and CBI filed final prosecution complaints and charge sheets. 

 

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju raised preliminary objections, stating that Sisodia's pleas were the second challenge to the same Delhi High Court order.

 

"The same order can't be challenged twice," the law officer had submitted.  

 

Sisodia had earlier moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court's May 21 order dismissing his bail pleas. He had challenged in the high court a trial court's April 30 order rejecting his bail applications in the two cases.  

 

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, and the ED on March 9, 2023, in connection with the liquor policy case and money laundering case.

Last week, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, termed Raju's arguments as "absolutely shocking" and said it was very unfortunate for a prosecutor to say this.  

 

The law officer had then referred to the October 30, last year order of the apex court, which had denied him bail in the two cases.  

 

While dismissing his regular bail plea, the top court had given Sisodia the liberty to approach the courts for relief if there was a change in circumstances or the trial got protracted.  

 

The top court, after hearing brief arguments from both sides, observed that the period determined by the apex court in its October 30 order was over and the matter could be heard on merit.  

 

"Let it be heard on merit. Why should we have a hearing at two stages, one for interim and one for final," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on August 5.  

 

The apex court on July 16 agreed to hear the pleas and sought responses from the CBI and the ED.