Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia shared a touching selfie on X on Saturday, showing him enjoying a cup of tea with his wife. This moment comes a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the Delhi liquor policy case, following 17 months in Tihar jail.
Sisodia posted, “Aazaadi ki subah ki pehli chai … 17 mahine baad! (First tea on the morning of independence … after 17 months!)” on X. He reflected on the freedom granted by the Constitution and the opportunity to breathe fresh air again, saying, “The freedom that the Constitution has given to all of us Indians as a guarantee of the right to life. The freedom that God has given us to breathe in the open air with everyone.”
Upon his release, Sisodia was welcomed by AAP leaders and family with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai.’ He expressed deep gratitude to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, acknowledging the Constitution’s role in his release. “Ever since this order came in the morning, every inch of my skin has been feeling indebted to Babasaheb. I don’t understand how we will pay off this debt to Babasaheb,” Sisodia remarked.
The Supreme Court granted bail, criticizing the lower courts for the delay in Sisodia’s trial and long detention without trial, which had violated his right to a speedy trial. The Court ruled that such delays justified bail in money laundering cases, despite the strict conditions set by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, over alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. The Enforcement Directorate later arrested him on March 9, 2023, in connection with money laundering linked to the CBI’s FIR. He resigned from his Delhi cabinet position on February 28, 2023.