Bail for Saket Gokhale, Sisodia's Custody Extended: Highlights From Courts Today

And the centre has alleged that pleas seeking marriage equality in India merely represent "urban elitist views..."

From the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to Saket Gokhale in a case related to alleged misuse of 'crowdfunded' money, to Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court extending the judicial custody of Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy cases, here are the top highlights from our courts today.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

While Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Saket Gokhale finally gets bail in one of the cases against him, former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia is likely to remain in jail for several more days.

From the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to Gokhale in a case related to the alleged misuse of 'crowdfunded' money to Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court extending the judicial custody of Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy cases, here are the top highlights from our courts on Monday, 17 April.

Here are the top highlights from our courts today.

(Photo: The Quint)

Some Relief for Saket Gokhale

A Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath on Monday, 17 April, granted bail to TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale in an alleged misappropriation of funds case. 

In doing so, the bench noted that Gokhale had been in custody for nearly 109 days.

Further, media reports said, the court also considered the nature of the allegation against Gokhale and the fact that a chargesheet had already been filed in the case.

As per Bar and Bench, Gokhale was first arrested on 6 December 2022, for tweeting a news clipping of a Right to Information (RTI) in connection with the alleged cost incurred ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Morbi in Gujarat. He was granted bail in that case on 8 December. However the Cyber Cell of the Ahmedabad Police reportedly arrested him in connection with a misappropriation of funds case as soon as he was released.

According to LiveLaw, Saket Gokhale was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case for the alleged misappropriation of funds.

None for Manish Sisodia

Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court extended Manish Sisodia’s judicial custody in the two cases lodged against him (by the CBI and the ED) in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy in Delhi.

While his judicial custody in the CBI case has been extended till 27 April, his custody in the ED case has been extended till 29 April.

The CBI had arrested the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader after questioning him for over seven hours on 26 February.

And the Centre Claims Same-Sex Marriage Petitions Represent 'Urban Elitist Views'

In other news, the Centre has once again expressed its disapproval of petitions seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriage in India, and contended that marriage is "an exclusively heterogenous institution."

What’s more, the central government, in its counter affidavit, alleged that pleas seeking marriage equality in India merely represent "urban elitist views for the purpose of social acceptance."

The Centre further claimed that legal sanctity to same sex-marriages can only be given by a competent legislature, and that it was not discriminatory to deny the same.

While, SC Points Out: ‘Goli’ in ‘Goli Maaro...’ Isn’t Medicine

"Gaddar means traitor I believe? Here goli maaro was not in terms of medicine prescription, certainly."

These were the words of Supreme Court Justice KM Joseph, in context of the infamous 'desh ke gaddaron ko goli maaron...' remark.

As per Bar and Bench, the apex court on Monday, sought the response of the Delhi government and the Delhi commissioner of police in a plea seeking registration of first information reports (FIRs) against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma in a hate speech-related case.

And Finally: Varanasi Court Allows Transfer of 7 Pending ‘Gyanvapi’ Dispute Suits to District Judge

District Judge Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha, according to LiveLaw, allowed applications seeking transfer of seven Gyanvapi-related suits, which were pending before various courts, to the court of the district judge.

Now, this court is slated to decide whether all seven matters should be clubbed and heard together or not.