The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party after the Supreme Court dismissed the bail pleas of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in connection with cases pertaining to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped liquor policy case. Speaking on the decision of the apex court, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari said that the top leaders of the AAP, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, will also be arrested soon. He further stated that it is evident that the entire AAP is involved in corruption, and their money trail has been established.
"The Supreme Court has rejected Manish Sisodia's bail plea. It is evident that the entire Aam Aadmi Party gang is involved in corruption and their money trail has been established. I am certain that top leaders of AAP will be arrested soon. Arvind Kejriwal will also be arrested," Tiwari said, as quoted by the news agency PTI.
The top court, however, directed that the trial should be completed within 6 to 8 months failing which Sisodia would be entitled to apply for bail again within three months.
Speaking on the matter, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said that all the defences of the AAP fell flat on their faces. "After trial court and high court, now the Supreme Court has also denied bail to Manish Sisodia... All the defences of AAP fell flat on their faces...Supreme Court said that a Rs 338 crore money trail has been established...AAP was continuously saying, where is the money trail? They kept lying to the people of this country. How long will Arvind Kejriwal continue to defend these people?," Poonawalla said, as quoted by the news agency ANI.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “Today, the Supreme Court has differentiated between the truth and the lie and cleared that Arvind Kejriwal and his leaders are the most corrupt people in the country”.
Sisodia, who was first arrested in connection with the case in February, is facing two cases -- one by the CBI and the other by the ED, which is probing the money laundering angle. Pronouncing the order, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti said, "In the analysis there are certain aspects which are doubtful..regarding transfer of Rs 338 crore transfer is established. We have rejected the bail."
"But we have made one pointed observation, which is that they have assured that the trial will be concluded within six to eight months. So within three months, if the trial proceeds sloppily or slowly, he will (Sisodia) be entitled to file an application for bail," Live Law quoted Justice Khanna as saying.
The CBI has alleged that the AAP-led Delhi government's 2021-22 excise policy to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers who had paid bribes for it. The accusation has been strongly refuted by the AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The policy was later scrapped.