Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Friday morning, 18 months after his arrest by the CBI in connection with the excise policy ‘scam’ case.

In a notable ruling, Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan emphasized that Sisodia was entitled to a “speedy trial” and stated that it would be a “travesty of justice” to return him to a trial court.

The court also highlighted that keeping Sisodia incarcerated for an “unlimited time” infringes upon his fundamental rights.

Justice Gavai remarked on the excessive duration of his incarceration without the trial even commencing, underscoring the deprivation of his right to a speedy trial.

‘In the matter of liberty, every day counts’

“In the matter of liberty, every day counts,” remarked Justice Gavai-led Bench. On Tuesday, the Bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, reserved its judgment after hearing the oral arguments raised by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the central agencies, and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared on Sisodia’s behalf.

During the hearing, the CBI and the ED told the apex court that a Rs 100 crore bribe was demanded by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Goa elections, out of which Rs 45 crore has been traced in the course of the investigation.