Excise policy scam: SC rejects AAP leader Manish Sisodia's curative petitions

Supreme Court dismisses AAP leader Manish Sisodia's curative petitions in corruption and money laundering cases.

The Supreme Court has dismissed the curative petitions filed by AAP leader Manish Sisodia against its October 30 last year verdict dismissing his bail pleas in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud, which considered the curative pleas in-chamber, also rejected his application for listing the petitions in the open court.

A curative petition is the last legal recourse in the apex court and is generally considered in-chamber unless a prima facie case is made out for reconsideration of the verdict.

"Application for listing the curative petitions in open court is dismissed. We have gone through the curative petitions and the connected documents. In our opinion, no case is made out within the parameters indicated in the decision of this court in Rupa Ashok Hurra vs Ashok Hurra. The curative petitions are dismissed," the bench, which also comprised justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai and SVN Bhatti, said in its order passed on March 13.

On December 13 last year, the top court had dismissed Mr. Sisodia's pleas seeking review of its October 30, 2023 verdict dismissing his bail petitions.

On October 30 last year, the apex court had denied him bail in the corruption and money-laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying the allegations by the probe agencies that "windfall gains" of ₹338 crore was made by a few wholesale distributors was "tentatively supported" by evidence.

The top court, which termed several charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate against Mr. Sisodia as debatable, had said about the alleged windfall gains that "However, there is one clear ground or charge in the complaint filed under the PML Act, which is free from perceptible legal challenge and the facts as alleged are tentatively supported by material and evidence."