New Delhi, July 29: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed August 5 for hearing the bail pleas filed by senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the alleged liquor policy case.

A bench presided over by Justice BR Gavai decided to adjourn the proceedings after Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju sought more time to file a reply on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)

ASG Raju said that the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has already filed its response in connection with the corruption case but the same has not come on record.

In the previous hearing, the top court had issued notice and asked the central agencies to file their reply to Sisodia’s bail pleas

“Issue notice returnable on July 29. We will have this on Monday after two weeks,” it said on July 16.

Sisodia’s counsel argued that the senior AAP leader had been incarcerated for 16 months and the trial remained at the same stage as it was in October 2023.

In its judgment delivered on October 30 last year, the SC had denied bail to the former Deputy CM but said that if the trial proceeds slowly in the next three months, he may apply for bail afresh.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Court had on April 30, refused to grant bail to Sisodia who was seeking regular bail a second time. Denying bail, the trial court order noted that delays in the case proceedings were largely due to actions attributable to Sisodia himself, dismissing his claims of undue delay.

Subsequently, the Delhi High Court denied bail to Sisodia, saying that he failed to pass the triple test for grant of bail in the corruption case and the twin conditions required under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Challenging this, the former Deputy CM filed special leave petitions before the Supreme Court. Last month, the apex court had disposed of the former Deputy CM’s pleas seeking bail in corruption and money laundering cases after Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta made an undertaking that the final charge sheet/complaint in the liquor policy case would be filed by July 3.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court last week extended the judicial custody of Sisodia till July 31. He was produced through video conferencing from Tihar Jail upon expiry of the previously granted judicial custody.

--IANS

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