Delhi Excise Policy Scam: Supreme Court Grants Bail to Abhishek Bonipally in the ED Case

Today (October 14, 2024), the Supreme Court (SC) of India granted bail to Abhishek Bonipally, a Hyderabad-based businessman, in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Aravind Kumar made his interim bail absolute after noting that the ED’s counsel had no further submissions to make in the matter. Also, the bench pointed out that all other accused including Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in the Delhi excise policy scam were on bail. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said during the proceedings, “I have nothing to say. I am in my Lords' hands.” Considering this, the two-judge bench remarked, “All co-accused have been granted bail. We are inclined to grant him bail.” 

Earlier in July 2023, the Delhi High Court (HC) rejected Abhishek Bonipally’s bail plea, resulting in him approaching the top court to seek bail. The Delhi HC held, “The learned trial court has examined the case on merits and has reached to a finding which is duly supported by this court. I do not find any illegality in the order of the trial court.....the accused person in the present case acting in furtherance of a conspiracy, circumvented the policy and got framed the policy in such a way that to continuously generate and channel illegal fund.” In August 2023, the top Court sought a response from the ED in the matter. After hearing the matter today, the SC bench granted bail to Bonipally.