SC bail to Sisodia just 'procedural order', doesn't absolve him of offence: Bansuri Swaraj

New Delhi: The Supreme Court's verdict granting bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia is a "procedural order" and this does not absolve him of the offence, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said on Friday of the relief granted to him in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the Delhi excise policy case.

The apex court granted bail to former Delhi deputy chief minister Sisodia, noting that he has been in custody for 17 months.

Swaraj told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here that Sisodia has been granted bail because of his appeal based on "delay in trial".

While hearing Sisodia's bail plea, a bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said he has been in custody for 17 months and trial has not yet commenced, depriving him of the right to speedy trial.

Swaraj alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is involved in corruption and will be held accountable in front of the court of law sooner or later.

"Manish Sisodia ji's bail has been rejected seven times in court (previously). This was his eighth attempt, and today, his lawyers got the bail because they appealed based on delay in trial not on merit...I know there must be an atmosphere of celebration at the AAP office but let me tell you what this bail actually means," she said.

"It does not absolve him (Sisodia) of the offence. He will still be held accountable for fooling the people of Delhi," the BJP leader said.

Swaraj claimed that there is evidence against the AAP leader that establish his involvement in the "scam" case linked to the now-scrapped liquor policy of 2021-22.

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 last year for purported irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 last year. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28 in 2023.

Sisodia had sought bail contending that he has been in custody for 17 months and the trial against him has not yet started. The ED and the CBI had opposed his bail pleas.