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Synopsis

Noting that the Enforcement Directorate's reply had yet not been filed in the bail application of Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia, the Supreme Court has today given time to the agency till August 1st for doing so.

Court has accordingly adjourned Sisodia's plea till August 5. 

On July 16, top court had issued notice in the bail applications filed by Sisodia in the money laundering and corruption cases registered against him by Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation.

Earlier, CJI DY Chandrachud led bench had said that it would reconsider Sisodia's bail plea who is accused in the liquor excise policy scam after on June 4th, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta had notably refused to grant bail to Sisodia.

Sisodia has approached Supreme Court against the May 21 decision of Delhi High Court denying him bail after concluding that Sisodia had gravely misused his authority and breached public trust.

The bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed that the corruption in question originated from Sisodia's intention to create the liquor policy. The court asserted that he manipulated the policy formulation process and deviated from the recommendations of the expert committee he had set up.

In December 2023, a division bench of the Supreme Court had also dismissed the review petition filed by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia challenging the court's earlier order denying him bail in the Delhi excise policy scam case. 

Sisodia had filed the instant review plea in November after a division bench on October 30, 2023 had refused to grant him bail. While not granting any relief to the AAP leader, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti had directed that the trial be completed by 6-8 months.

Case Title: Manish Sisodia vs. ED