Sisodia seeks early hearing in SC, says trial court not hearing bail plea

Jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Monday sought early hearing of his two curative petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the 2023 verdict of the court denying him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was told by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, that a trial court has said it will not hear the bail plea till the curative is decided.

"Just send an email, we will look at it" the bench said in response.

A Delhi court had deferred hearing on Sisodia's bail plea after noting that an application related to the case was pending before the Supreme Court.

On December 14, 2023, the top court dismissed Sisodia's pleas seeking review of its October 30 verdict dismissing his bail petitions in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

The apex court had denied him bail, saying the allegations by the probe agencies that "windfall gains" of Rs 338 crore was made by a few wholesale distributors was "tentatively supported" by evidence.

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023 for his alleged role in the "scam".

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023 after questioning him in Tihar Jail. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.

The Delhi government had implemented the new excise policy on November 17, 2021, but scrapped it in the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.

According to the investigating agencies, the profit margin of wholesalers was increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent under the new policy.

The agencies have alleged that the new policy resulted in cartelisation and those ineligible for liquor licences were favoured for monetary benefits. However, the Delhi government and Sisodia have denied any wrongdoing and said the new policy would have led to an increase in the city government's revenue.