Excise policy: SC Judge Justice Sanjay Kumar recuses from hearing Manish Sisodia's bail plea

New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kumar on Thursday recused himself from hearing a bail plea by former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy 'scam' case.

Sisodia filed the plea seeking to revive the earlier petition which was disposed of by the court.

On Thursday, the matter was posted before a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Karol and Sanjay Kumar.

But as Justice Kumar opted himself out from hearing the case, citing personal reasons, the court is likely to re-list the matter in a week commencing Monday, July 15.

Sisodia filed the application to revive a disposed-of petition.

A two-judge bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta earlier refused to grant bail to Sisodia, after recording a submission by the Enforcement Directorate that a chargesheet will be filed in the matter by July 3.

The court had then granted Sisodia liberty to revive the bail application after the filing of the charge sheet.

The top court clarified that it was not saying anything on the merits of the matter and also stated that Sisodia will have the liberty to file for bail afresh.

Sisodia sought bail in cases filed by the CBI and the ED.

The CBI had registered the case against Sisodia in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy 2021-22, naming him as one of the accused in the case.

He was arrested on February 26, 2023.

Sisodia was declined bail by the trial court, Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court in both ED and CBI cases.

The Supreme Court had also dismissed Sisodia's review petition. It had also dismissed his curative petition.