Trial Cannot Proceed Sloppily or Slowly : Supreme Court Denies Bail to Manish Sisodia in Money Laundering and Corruption Case

Today Supreme Court refused to grant bail to Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, who is embroiled in a case of alleged money laundering and corruption linked to a now-defunct excise policy.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti, who heard the pleas, stated, "We are dismissing the application for bail, but we have made one 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'll be entitled to file an application for bail."

The court raised serious concerns about the pace of the trial and emphasized that Sisodia could not be "kept behind bars ad infinitum." Justice Khanna openly questioned the central agencies on why the trial arguments hadn't commenced despite the charge-sheet being filed.

Sisodia's counsel, Singhvi, argued that the AAP leader had minimal flight risk and lacked the capacity to influence witnesses. He contended that no money trail directly implicating Sisodia had been unearthed. Singhvi also emphasized that the criteria for granting bail had been met.

Further complicating matters, the bench queried why the Aam Aadmi Party, allegedly benefitting from the excise policy, was not named in the case. Justice Khanna clarified, "The question is aimed at examining the legal culpability of potential co-conspirators."

ASG Raju argued on behalf of the central agencies, asserting that there was 'sufficient' evidence against Sisodia and claimed that the increase in wholesalers' profit margin from 5 percent to 12 percent had caused massive losses to the public exchequer and consumers.

In a stark warning, Justice Khanna cautioned, "If it is not part of the predicate offence, that this bribe was paid, you may be in difficulty in proving the PMLA charge. We cannot go on an assumption."

The judgment has intensified the spotlight on ongoing investigations involving high-profile politicians and raises poignant questions about the pace and nature of such judicial proceedings.

The cases are registered under Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 8167 of 2023 against the CBI and Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 8188 of 2023 against the Directorate of Enforcement.

This landmark judgment could set a precedent for future cases involving politicians and financial irregularities, as it underscores the importance of expeditious and fair trials.

Manish Sisodia v. Central Bureau of Investigation

Manish Sisodia v. Directorate of Enforcement