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Informist, Monday, Sep 2, 2024

 

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court today granted bail to Vijay Nair, the Aam Aadmi Party communications in-charge, in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case that the Enforcement Directorate is probing. The apex court said that the agency has been unable to complete the trial on time despite its assurance to the court about the same.

 

"When the case of Manish Sisodia (former Delhi deputy chief minister) was taken by this court, the assurance was given by ED (Enforcement Directorate) that trial would be concluded within 6 to 8 months, but as can be seen that trial is yet to commence," said the bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice S.V.N. Bhatti.

 

The bench further said that while the agency gave an assurance on Oct 30 about the conclusion of the trial within six to eight months, it was seen that as many as 40 persons have been listed as accused. "The prosecution seeks to examine around 350 witnesses," the bench said.

 

The apex court said that Nair had been in custody for 23 months and his incarceration as an under-trial cannot be a mode of punishment without commencement of the trial. "The universal rule of bail being the rule and jail being the exception will be defeated if the petitioner is kept incarcerated without trial being started," said the court.

 

The Delhi government announced an excise policy in November 2021, allowing private companies to distribute liquor in the national capital. Later, the policy was withdrawn after allegations of cartelisation and monopoly. Both the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation are probing the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy. While the Enforcement Directorate is investigating the money laundering aspect of the case, the CBI is looking at irregularities. 

 

The Directorate claimed that Nair was the person to whom the alleged kickback amount of 1 bln rupees was transferred or delivered by the liquor lobby. The agency had also arrested Aam Aadmi Party leaders Manish Sisodia, Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader Kalvakuntla Kavitha in the same case. While Sisodia, Singh, Kavitha were granted bail by the apex court, Kejriwal's bail plea is still pending in the CBI case.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Aditya Sakorkar

 

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