Excise Policy Case: SC Relaxes Manish Sisodia’s Bail Conditions

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Bhushan R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan on Wednesday granted relief to AAP leader Manish Sisodia by relaxing one of the bail conditions imposed earlier.

The court allowed Sisodia’s application to remove the requirement to report to the investigating officer twice weekly, citing it as unnecessary. However, it directed him to continue attending the trial regularly.

“The condition requiring the petitioner to report to the IO on Mondays and Thursdays is not necessary and is hereby deleted. It is made clear that the petitioner shall regularly attend the trial,” the court stated.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and advocate Vivek Jain, representing Sisodia, argued that since his bail on August 9, Sisodia had reported to the IO 60 times and had attended all trial dates, demonstrating full compliance.

The bail order issued on August 9 had directed Sisodia’s release in connection with cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He was granted bail upon furnishing a bond of ₹10 lakh with 2 sureties of the same amount.

Additional conditions included surrendering his passport and refraining from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.

Sisodia was arrested in February 2023 for his alleged involvement in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He is accused of conspiring to increase commission rates from 5% to 12%, benefiting private retailers.

In its earlier judgment granting bail, the court highlighted Sisodia’s 17-month incarceration and emphasized the fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution. Noting the substantial volume of evidence and numerous witnesses, it stated that the trial was unlikely to begin soon.

The bench remarked, “Keeping the appellant behind bars indefinitely, in the hope of a speedy trial, would deprive him of his fundamental right to liberty under Article 21.” It added that compelling a citizen to repeatedly approach courts for bail in matters of life and liberty would amount to a “travesty of justice.”

Sisodia’s bail conditions remain stringent to prevent any tampering with evidence or influencing of witnesses, ensuring a fair trial as the proceedings continue.

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