A designated Central Bureau of Investigation court here on Monday remanded Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to five-day custody of the agency till March 4.
Sisodia was produced by the CBI before the court during the day. Special judge MK Nagpal allowed the CBI’s plea for the custodial interrogation of Sisodia.
Earlier in the day, the court had reserved its order on the agency’s plea for five-day custody of the arrested accused after hearing arguments from the CBI and Sisodia’s counsel.
On Sunday, the CBI had arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.
During the hearing for over an hour, Sisodia’s counsel stressed that it was the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi who had approved the changes in the excise policy and that the Central probe agency was going after the elected government. Sisodia claimed that there was no evidence against him and opposed the CBI’s plea for his remand.
“I am the Finance Minister. I’ve to present the Budget.... What changed yesterday that the Finance Minister was to be placed under custody? Was he not available for next [few] days? Or was this arrest done for [an] ulterior motive? This case is an assault on an individual as well as the institution. Remand will send a message, this is a fit case for declining remand,” Sisodia’s counsel told the court.
The counsel further submitted that Sisodia acted as a member of the Delhi Government and hence the decision can neither be attributed to him nor questioned.
“I can’t do anything. It has to be approved by appropriate authority,” he said.
The CBI’s counsel submitted that the arrested Minister’s custody was required for effective interrogation in the case. Sisodia claimed that he had no role in the case but the probe showed he personally took decisions, the CBI asserted.
Sisodia’s counsel, while opposing the CBI’s plea for custody, submitted that the CBI says he changed his cell phones, but that is not a crime.
The counsel said the policy was implemented after taking suggestions even from the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and that since it required consultations, there was no chance of conspiracy.
“I have tried to keep everything open,” he said.
Earlier, the CBI brought Sisodia to the Rouse Avenue court amid high security presence.
Following Sisodia’s arrest, the CBI had said, “….he gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary. Therefore, he has been arrested.”
The instant case was registered against the Deputy Chief Minister, who also held the Excise portfolio, and 14 others for investigation into the matter of alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of Excise Policy for the year 2021-22 and extending post-tender benefits to private persons.
AAP protests across States
New Delhi: AAP leaders and workers on Monday held protests in several States against the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI, with the party alleging that it was done to divert the public attention from the Adani issue.
Besides Delhi, protests were held in Chandigarh, Bhopal, Jaipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Kolkata, Mumbai and other cities against Sisodia’s arrest in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy relating to the sale of alcohol.
