NI Bureau
New Delhi: In a poignant moment today, Delhi Education Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi was visibly moved while addressing the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the high-profile liquor policy case.
Atishi, speaking to a gathering at a school in Delhi, expressed her sentiments by stating, “Today is a victory for truth, and the children of Delhi are the true winners. He was incarcerated because he dared to provide quality education to those who needed it most.”
AAP leaders celebrated the court’s decision, describing it as a “vindication of truth.” Mr. Sisodia’s bail comes after nearly 18 months in custody. The Supreme Court’s judgment, handed down by Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, emphasized that continuing Mr. Sisodia’s detention without substantial progress in the trial would amount to a “travesty of justice.”
“This is not just a legal victory; it’s a moral one,” Atishi added. “He was wrongly accused and unjustly imprisoned. His work has given hope and a future to Delhi’s children. Today, we rejoice, and we hold hope that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also soon be free. This is a moment of triumph for all the people of Delhi.”
Mr. Sisodia, entangled in the controversy surrounding the now-repealed Delhi excise policy of 2021-22, was initially arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 of last year. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) later took him into custody on March 9, 2023, on charges of money laundering related to the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR). Just two days after his arrest, on February 28, 2023, Mr. Sisodia resigned from his ministerial role.
The legal saga has seen the arrests of several prominent figures, including Arvind Kejriwal. On Thursday, a Delhi court extended Mr. Kejriwal’s judicial custody until August 20 as part of an ongoing CBI investigation into corruption allegations. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja extended Mr. Kejriwal’s custody after a video conference appearance in court.
