In a relief to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia, the Supreme Court on Wednesday deleted the bail condition in the Delhi Excise Policy case requiring him to report to the investigating officers of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) twice a week.
Stating “We do not find the said condition necessary”, a bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan, however, clarified that Sisodia shall regularly attend the trial.
Granting bail to Sisodia, the Supreme Court by its order on August 9, 2024, had directed the AAP leader to report to the investigating officer twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
The bail condition that Sisodia sought to be relaxed said, “The appellant shall report to the Investigating Officer on every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 am.”
The Supreme Court, by its August 9 judgment, had granted bail to Sisodia in the 2021 Delhi excise policy case wherein he has been stated to be a part of an alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering. He had been in incarceration for 18 months before the Supreme Court granted him regular bail on August 9, 2024. He was arrested by the CBI in February 2023.
While granting bail to Sisodia, the court had said both the trial court and Delhi High Court to recognize the principle that “bail is rule and jail is an exception”
The top court had said this noting that Sisodia’s bail plea had travelled two rounds before the trial court, the High Court, and the Supreme Court and he had to approach the top court for the third time for bail.