The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding a plea from Manish Sisodia, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, seeking to relax his bail conditions. Specifically, Sisodia is challenging the requirement to report twice weekly to the investigating officer, a condition imposed since his bail was granted in August.
During the court proceedings, Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan indicated their intention to resolve the matter swiftly, stating, “Issue notice. Returnable in two weeks,” and emphasizing that there would be no adjournment at the next hearing. Senior Advocate AM Singhvi, representing Sisodia, highlighted his client’s consistent compliance with the bail conditions, noting, “He is a respectable person. He has already appeared 60 times. There is no such condition for any other accused.”
Sisodia’s legal battles stem from allegations tied to the now-repealed Delhi Excise Policy, under which he and other AAP leaders were accused of manipulating policy to benefit certain liquor vendors, allegedly in exchange for bribes used to fund the party’s election campaign in Goa. These charges led to his arrest on February 26, 2023, with Sisodia facing stringent bail conditions upon his release, including a Rs. 10,00,000 bail bond, the surrender of his passport, and the aforementioned reporting requirements.
The Supreme Court’s previous decision to grant bail referenced the undue delay in the trial, asserting that it infringed upon Sisodia’s right to a speedy trial, which is protected under Article 21 of the Constitution. With the current plea, Sisodia seeks to amend these conditions, arguing that the stringent reporting requirements impose an unnecessary burden given his track record of compliance.
