The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, noting that he has been in custody for 17 months.

A Bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said Sisodia has been in custody for 17 months and trial has not yet commenced, depriving him of the right to speedy trial.

The Bench said it would be a travesty of justice to relegate him to the trial court for seeking bail in these cases. The top court said it is high time that the trial courts and High Courts recognise that the principle of bail is a rule and jail is an exception.