SC judge recuses himself from hearing Manish Sisodia’s bail revival plea, matter deferred till July 15

Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kumar recused himself from hearing a plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. In his plea, Sisodia sought to revive his bail petitions in the excise policy scam cases.

A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Sanjay Karol and Kumar were slated to hear the matter on Thursday. However, his bail hearing was deferred after Justice Khanna said, "Dr (Abhishek Manu) Singhvi, my brother Justice Kumar will not like to hear this matter for personal reasons."

As per Bar and Bench, the Supreme Court re-listed the case for the week commencing July 15. "Subject to order of CJI before bench where my brother is not a member, in a week commencing July 15th," Live Law reported, citing the Supreme Court's order on Thursday.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, requested the bench to list the matter urgently, saying time is of the essence. He said the trial has not yet commenced in both the cases. The bench said another bench will take it up on July 15.

The AAP leader is seeking bail in the cases filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the alleged liquor policy scam.

On June 4, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain the bail pleas of Sisodia in cases lodged by the CBI and the ED in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.

Sisodia had earlier moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's May 21 verdict, which dismissed his bail pleas in the cases probed by the two central agencies.

The AAP leader had challenged in the high court a trial court's April 30 order by which it had rejected his bail applications in the cases involving alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.

On October 30 last year, the top court had denied him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying the accusation of "windfall gains" of ₹338 crore to wholesale liquor dealers was "tentatively supported" by evidence.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023 for his alleged role in the liquor policy case. The ED arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023.

He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.