Manish Sisodia walks out of jail 17 months after his arrest in Delhi liquor policy case
New Delhi/IBNS: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia walked out of Delhi's Tihar Jail on Friday evening hours after the Supreme Court granted the ex-Deputy Chief Minister bail in the alleged liquor policy scam.
Sisodia, who held multiple portfolios while a member of the Delhi government, including Education, was received by jubilant AAP supporters this evening who came to celebrate his release bracing the rain.
जय संविधान, जय बाबा साहब🇮🇳💯
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) August 9, 2024
तानाशाह की साज़िशों का जाल तोड़कर जेल से बाहर आए दिल्ली शिक्षा क्रांति के जनक @msisodia #ManishKiBailSachKiJeet pic.twitter.com/ZskT0KdZ1x
"Ever since this order came in the morning, every inch of my skin has been feeling indebted to Babasaheb (Ambedkar). I don't understand how (I) will pay this debt to Babasaheb..." he told in his short speech outside the jail.
"I have come out of jail due to your love, God's blessings and the power of truth, and biggest of all, the dream of Babasaheb - that if any dictatorial government comes to power and puts Opposition leaders behind bars by forming dictatorial laws, then this country's Constitution will protect them..."
भ्रष्टाचार का एक ही काल : केजरीवाल 🔥#ManishKiBailSachKiJeet pic.twitter.com/I4bVIc27QT
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) August 9, 2024
"I assure you, with this power of the Constitution, (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail as well..." Sisodia said, after which he left for Kejriwal's residence in Delhi's Civil Lines area.
"I assure you, with this power of the Constitution, (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail as well..." Sisodia said, after which he left for Mr Kejriwal's residence in Delhi's Civil Lines area.
Sisodia was granted bail on his eighth appeal. He was, though, allowed to visit his ailing wife last year.
Sisodia has been asked by the court to surrender his passport and not visit Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office.
Kejriwal, who heads the AAP, is also in jail in the liquor policy case.
"Trial court and High Court ought to have given due weightage to this. Courts have forgotten that bail ought not to be withheld as punishment. Principle bail is the rule and jail an exception...," the apex court said as it delivered the verdict.
"Bail can't be rejected as punishment (of the accused)," it added.
Sisodia's party has welcomed his release, calling it "victory of truth".
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, in a euphoric post on X (formerly Twitter), declared "the entire country is happy today as Manish Sisodia, hero of the Delhi education revolution, got bail."
The entire nation rejoices today as the hero of Delhi's education revolution, Manish Sisodia, has been granted bail. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) August 9, 2024
Manish bhai was kept behind bars for 530 days. His crime being that he dreamt of giving a bright… pic.twitter.com/aVZF211XhW
"Satyamev Jayate," Delhi Education minister Atishi posted on X.