The Supreme Court approved bail to former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia in cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation related to the alleged excise policy scam.
The Top Court directs that Manish Sisodia be released on bail on personal bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of like amount.
The court’s decision came after Sisodia had spent 17 months in custody. A Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan stated that Sisodia’s prolonged detention and the delay in commencing his trial constituted a violation of his right to a speedy trial.
The Apex Court asserted that the right to a speedy trial is fundamental, and both the trial court and the Delhi High Court had failed to give adequate consideration to this principle. Sisodia’s bail had been previously denied by both courts, but the Supreme Court’s ruling acknowledged the undue delay in proceedings as a critical factor in their decision.
