The Supreme Court granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday morning, 17 months after his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the alleged liquor policy case. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, and subsequently by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) less than two weeks later. He has now been granted bail in both cases.
Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan criticised the prolonged detention, stating that keeping Sisodia in jail indefinitely while awaiting a trial date violated his fundamental rights. The court emphasised Sisodia’s entitlement to a "speedy trial" and noted that sending him back to a trial court would be akin to making him "play snakes and ladders."
Justice Gavai highlighted the inordinate delay, stating that Sisodia had been incarcerated for 18 months without the trial commencing, which deprived him of his right to a speedy trial. The court pointed out that bail should not be withheld as a form of punishment and reiterated that bail is the rule while jail is the exception.
The Supreme Court also criticised the handling of the case by federal agencies, noting the inclusion of 493 witnesses and the improbability of a swift trial conclusion. The court remarked that Sisodia has deep societal ties and posed no flight risk, and stressed that conditions could be imposed on his bail as necessary.