NEW DELHI: The sun was mellow outside the leafy precincts of the Rouse Avenue Court complex in Delhi which was unusually fortified with security forces on the sleepy spring afternoon of February 28, 2023.
The people and media in and around the court premises were eagerly waiting for one man -- then Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia, the city's second most powerful politician of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party -- who was arrested by the CBI, just two days earlier on February 26 last year, in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy Case.
Following his arrest, Sisodia was arrested in Tihar Jail by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with money laundering charges allegedly linked to the CBI case.
Denial of bail and SC's concern
The former CM's bail was dismissed twice by the trial court presided over by Special Judge MK Nagpal. In the meanwhile, Delhi High Court and Supreme Court did not grant him any relief in the alleged corruption case related to the irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy case.
Refusing bail to Sisodia, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti of the Supreme Court also took note that the prosecution's assurance that the trial would be concluded in six to eight months, saying if it goes at a "snail's pace", the AAP leader can approach the apex court again.
The bench, however, said it is also concerned about the prolonged period of incarceration suffered by Sisodia.
The AAP leader, during Diwali last year, was allowed to go to his residence to meet his wife Seema Sisodia, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis.
Continuing uncertainty, minor relief
In January, as per the SC directive, Sisodia moved the lower court again seeking regular bail in both the CBI and ED cases where he did not get any relief.
Now, his judicial custody will continue till March 2, when a decision will be made on whether the court will take up Sisodia’s “regular bail application”.
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court had allowed three days interim bail -- from February 13 to 15 -- to Sisodia to attend his niece's wedding in Lucknow.
On February 5, the same court had permitted the AAP leader to visit his wife Seema Sisodia once a week while in custody.
