NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred hearing the interim bail plea of former Delhi Minister Manish Sisodia for September 4 in the alleged scam in the excise policy case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti perused the medical records of Sisodia’s wife, and said she is “fairly stable” and, therefore, it will consider the interim bail pleas of former deputy chief minister along with regular bail pleas in the cases.
Perusing CBI’s affidavit wherein the probe agency opposed his bail plea, the bench asked ASG SV Raju to present “a clear cut picture on how the money trail has been established” while arguing the regular bail. “There are two parts, to the counter affidavit, one is the policy decision and the other is money trail. But when you argue the regular bail, I want a clear cut picture on how money trail is established,” said Justice Khanna.
“Re-list the SLP as well as the main SLP and application for interim relief in the week commencing September 4, 2023,” the bench said in its order. In the hearing, Sisodia’s counsel AM Singhvi urged the court to grant him interim bail due to his wife’s condition. “Her right vision is impaired. This man has roots in the society and he’s a respectable man. Your lordships may hear it after sometime and till then allow him to be with his wife, he doesn’t have anyone living with his wife. His children are abroad,” he said.
Considering his submissions, Justice Khanna pointed out to CBI’s affidavit wherein it was mentioned that her treatment was going on since 23 years. “What has been pointed out by the other side is that the wife is suffering from this problem for 23 years… there are medicines available which normally take care of the other things but it doesn’t cure… This maybe a stable condition. We’ll consider when we’ll take up the regular bail application,” the judge remarked.
Opposing his plea, ASG SV Raju urged the court to direct for an independent medical assessment of his wife from AIIMS. “You can take the papers and get it checked up,” Justice Khanna remarked.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the “scam”. He has been in custody since then.
The ED arrested him in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar Jail. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28. The high court had denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30, saying having been the deputy chief minister and excise minister, he is a “high-profile” person who has the potential to influence the witnesses.
‘Sisodia’s wife medical condition fairly stable’
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti perused the medical records of Sisodia’s wife, and said she is “fairly stable” and, therefore, it will consider the interim bail pleas of former deputy chief minister along with regular bail pleas in the cases. Perusing CBI’s affidavit wherein the probe agency opposed his bail plea, the bench asked ASG SV Raju to present “a clear cut picture on how the money trail has
been established” while arguing the regular bail. In the hearing, Sisodia’s counsel AM Singhvi urged the court to grant him interim bail due to his wife’s condition.