New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday granted bail to a senior executive of Pernod Ricard India, a subsidiary of one of the world's largest alcoholic beverages companies, in connection with the Enforcement Directorate's case in the Delhi liquor policy scam.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S V N Bhatti, while granting bail to Benoy Babu, the regional general manager, told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing the ED, that the agency can't keep people behind bars, before a trial, for long period of time and this is not proper.
The apex court primarily took into consideration the fact that Babu had already spent 13 months in jail and he was a junior employee, prima-facie played a small minimal role only in the scam.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing Babu argued that his client was a junior employee who played no role in policy making, and he was not on the Board of the company or MD. Justice Khanna told Raju that he has been in jail for 13 months.
“You can’t keep somebody in jail for so long. No, we are giving bail. 13 months is a very long time. Trial is far from starting”, said Justice Khanna. Salve cited the apex court’s observations made in the case of Manish Sisodia. Sisodia was denied bail by the apex court.
The apex court noted that there seems to be a contradiction between what the Central Bureau of Investigation is alleging and what the ED is alleging, and he is not an accused in the chargesheet filed by CBI in the case and he is prosecution witness. Babu was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on November 10, 2022 and is currently in judicial custody.
The bench noted that charges have not been framed against Babu, while granting bail to him. Raju urged the court to add that this case should not be treated as a precedent in the order. However, Justice Khanna said“13 months is long enough…”.
Several people have been arrested in connection with this case, which has triggered a massive political row between the ruling BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, which is in power in Delhi. ex-Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh have been arrested in connection with this case. Sisodia has been in jail since February and Singh since October.
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