On Friday, the Supreme Court approved bail for Manish Sisodia, a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former minister of Delhi, in relation to both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases associated with the purported excise policy scam. The bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, observed that Sisodia had been incarcerated for 17 months and highlighted that the trial court and High Court had denied him the right to a speedy trial.
The court stated, “Due to an extended period of incarceration lasting approximately 17 months without the commencement of trial, the appellant (Sisodia) has been denied the right to a speedy trial.” The Supreme Court underscored the fundamental nature of the right to a speedy trial, asserting that both the trial court and the High Court should have accorded appropriate consideration to this principle. It is noteworthy that both the trial court and the Delhi High Court had previously rejected Sisodia’s bail application.