“Should have been done earlier”: Shashi Tharoor on SC granting bail to Sisodia

New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the Delhi Excise Policy case and said that the bail should have been given earlier.

“In our system, it’s the rule – bail not jail. He is coming out after almost 2 years, it should have been done earlier,” Tharoor told ANI.

Sharing similar sentiments, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh expressed joy over the Supreme Court granting bail to Sisodia, calling it a victory of truth and a big relief for the party.

“This is the victory of truth. As I have said earlier, there is no truth/evidence in this case. Our leaders were forcibly put in jail. Manish Sisodia was kept in jail for 17 months… I thank the Supreme Court that we got justice and the decision has come in favour of AAP and every worker is excited. I pray to God that Arvind Kejriwal and Satyendra Jain also come out of jail soon. This is a slap on the dictatorship of the central government.” Singh told ANI.

Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also expressed joy, calling it a significant day for Indian democracy.

“This is a Big day for Indian democracy. What the country’s biggest court has said today will prove to be a milestone… No crime was proven, you kept him in jail for 17 months without proving it. Can the central government return Manish Sisodia’s 17 months to his family? The Supreme Court has not put any condition on Manish Sisodia. This means that he can come to his office and resume his work. He will have to go to the police station every Monday and Thursday to mark his presence in Delhi,” Bharadwaj told ANI.

Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Manish Sisodia in Delhi excise policy irregularities cases. The order was delivered by a bench of justices, BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan. The court also imposed various conditions, including surrendering the passport and not influencing witnesses.

The top court was hearing Sisodia’s appeal, challenging the Delhi High Court order that dismissed his bail plea in the cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.

In February 2023, Sisodia was arrested by the CBI for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of now-scrapped Delhi’s new excise policy.

The policy was withdrawn amid allegations of foul play by the opposition. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody.

According to the CBI, Sisodia had played the most vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy.