Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia Out on Bail, But AAP May Face Fresh Blow in Excise Policy Case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s senior leader Manish Sisodia — both prime accused in Delhi’s excise policy case — are now out on bail in a pivotal moment for the party. Even though the party is seemingly elated with its leadership back to the fore, a legal spectre continues to loom over it.

Apart from the leaders, the party is also one of the main accused in the case and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to initiate further legal action against AAP. The directorate is now working on another supplementary charge sheet detailing the party’s involvement in the alleged scam, News18 has learnt from sources in investigating agencies.

The ED has submitted nine charge sheets, including eight supplementary charge sheets, in connection with the case. A senior officer told News18: “The investigation is still on and we have more leads around it. Granting bail to the accused is the call of the judiciary, but the case is still in trial. None of our accused were acquitted, and we have enough evidence against them,” said the senior officer.

“The excise policy adopted by Delhi government and the way the dealings happened have emerged as a massive scam in which public money has been misappropriated, and diverted into political funding. Importantly, AAP is also an accused in the case. We may file another supplementary charge sheet explaining the party’s involvement,” he added.

While the release of its senior leaders offers temporary relief, the case itself remains a significant threat, with the potential to reshape AAP’s political standing. The coming months will be critical as the party navigates the upcoming legal, political and public scrutiny, and the challenge of defending its clean governance image. The outcome of this high-stakes case could either mark a turning point for AAP or deepen its crisis.