New Delhi: The Supreme Court has refused bail to Manish Sisodia, former deputy chief minister, who has been in jail since February this year over the liquor policy case which central agencies Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate are investigating.Sisodia is a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, which is in opposition to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. He is one of several high profile party leaders to have been held in connection with the liquor policy case, in what opposition parties including the AAP have referred to as an act of political vendetta.LiveLaw has reported that a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S.V.N. Bhatti said that while there were “certain aspects” of the case which the court held as doubtful, the one which concerns the transfer of Rs 338 crores is “tentatively established.”“Legal questions have been answered in a limited way. In the analysis, there are certain aspects, which we said are doubtful. But one aspect, with regard to transfer of money, Rs 338 crores, is tentatively established. We have therefore dismissed the application for bail,” Justice Khanna was quoted as having said.At various points during the hearing of Sisodia’s plea against the Delhi high court’s dismissal of his bail pleas, the apex court had expressed doubts over the case. Earlier this month, it asked the CBI and ED as to how they seek to “establish money laundering by Manish Sisodia, factually and legally”.While dismissing the application for bail, Justice Khanna said that the court has made “one pointed observation” on the fact that the investigation agencies have assured the court that the trial will be concluded within “six to eight months.” The bench also said that Sisodia will be entitled to apply for bail according to how the trial progresses.“So within three months, if the trial proceeds sloppily or slowly, he’ll be entitled to file an application for bail,” the Supreme Court bench said.
