AAP leader Manish Sisodia was released from Delhi’s Tihar Jail Friday evening – even as the dark clouds hovering over the national capital all day broke to shed much-needed rain – hours after the Supreme Court granted the ex-Deputy Chief Minister bail in the alleged liquor policy scam.
Mr Sisodia – who held multiple portfolios while a member of the Delhi government, including Education – was received by a large crowd of jubilant Aam Aadmi Party supporters.
After exiting Tihar Jail Mr Sisodia left for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. Like himself, the Chief Minister was arrested, in March, by both federal agencies in the liquor policy case. Mr Kejriwal has received bail in the case filed by the Enforcement Directorate but not the CBI.
Earlier today, in a series of powerful observations the Supreme Court called Manish Sisodia’s nearly 18-month incarceration a “travesty of justice” and asked tough questions of the trial court and the Delhi High Court for failing to consider the violation of his right to liberty by keeping him “behind bars for unlimited time”. Mr Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in February 2023.
“In a matter pertaining to the life and liberty of a citizen – which is one of the most sacrosanct rights guaranteed by the Constitution – a citizen cannot be made to run from pillar to post,” a bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan had said.
