The Supreme Court on Monday said that it will soon list the curative petition by AAP leader Manish Sisodia questioning the October 30, 2023 top court verdict rejecting his plea for bail in the Delhi liquor policy scam case.

Heading a bench also comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that Sisodia’s curative petition will be listed soon, after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi in a mentioning told the bench that the Aam Aadmi Party leader was languishing in jail for over a year.

Earlier on December 13, 2023, the Supreme Court had rejected the review petition of Manish Sisodia against a top court order October 30, 2023, order refusing him bail in the excise policy scam case.

The criminal aspect of the excise policy scam case is being 8investigated by the CBI and the money laundering dimension is being probed by the Directorate of Enforcement.

Rejecting the bail plea by Sisodia and directing the fast-tracking of the trial in the case, a bench of Justice Sanjiv Khana and Justice SVN Bhatti had in their October 30, 2023, judgment said: “Legal questions have been answered in a limited way. In the analysis there are certain aspects, which we said are doubtful. But one aspect, with regard to transfer of money, Rs 338 crores is tentatively established. We have therefore dismissed the application for bail.”

Refusing the plea for bail, the top court had said: “We have made a pointed observation which is that they have assured that the trial will be concluded within six to eight months. So, within three months, if the trial proceeds sloppily or slowly, he will be entitled to make an application for bail.”

Manish Sisodia had moved the Supreme Court for bail both in CBI and ED cases in the alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy case. He has challenged Delhi HC order rejecting his bail plea.

The Delhi High Court denied him bail in both the matters. In its order passed on July 3, 2023, in the ED case, the High Court had stated that inter alia it was of the view that in view of the high political positions held by the accused and his position in the party in power in Delhi, the possibility of influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled.

On February 26, 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of Delhi’s new excise policy. The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the Opposition. He is currently in judicial custody.