NEW DELHI: A day before the Delhi budget, Deputy Prime Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-abolished alcohol policy for 2021-22 after nearly eight hours of questions.
Live updates on excise fall in Delhi
According to officials, Sisodia’s answers during interrogation were unsatisfactory.
Officials with the CBI’s anti-corruption division grilled the minister over various aspects of excise policy, his alleged connection to Dinesh Arora and other defendants in the FIR, and details of messaging from multiple phones, among other things, they said.
CBI investigators were not satisfied with Sisodia’s responses, alleging that he failed to cooperate with the investigation and avoided clarifying key issues asked of them, which led to his arrest, they said.
Sisodia arrived at CBI headquarters at around 11:12 am for the second round of questioning.
Before leaving for the CBI office, Sisodia had expressed fears that he might be arrested.
Tax Fraud: Manish Sisodia visits Raj Ghat ahead of CBI questioning
Before joining the investigation, Sisodia went to Rajghat to pray along with other party leaders, Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bhardwaj.
AAP protesters arrested by CBI headquarters police after Manish Sisodia appeared for questioning
Sisodia said he will “fully cooperate with the CBI.” On Twitter, before being questioned in the case, Sisodia said he didn’t care if he was “locked up” for a few months.
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Manish Sisodia appears before CBI, says he’s not afraid of jail
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Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia appeared before the CBI on Sunday for the second round of questioning related to the Delhi excise policy fraud case. He was previously questioned on October 17, 2022.
Sisodia, who was indicted in the CBI FIR, paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat before reaching the heavily barricaded CBI office.
Sisodia turns to party staff and urges supporters not to leave his family alone. “I would like to ask you all not to leave my mother and my wife alone.”
Sisodia alleged that conspiracies were being hatched and false charges filed against AAP leaders by the CBI and ED.
Why are you sending me to jail? You also know that we did nothing wrong. Modi does not fear Rahul Gandhi, he only fears Kejriwal and AAP. As the party grows, there will be more cases, Sisodia claimed.
I am a follower of Bhagat Singh hanged for the country. It’s a small thing to go to jail for such false accusations, Sisodia said.
Arvind Kejriwal showed me a lot of love and respect. I may have to stay in prison for 8-10 months, but you (Kejriwal) continue to serve the nation, Sisodia said.
Meanwhile, AAP leaders protested after Sisodia appeared before the CBI office.
MP Sanjay Singh and other party leaders were arrested by Delhi police for protesting outside the CBI offices.
The protesters were arrested to ensure law and order does not spiral out of control, police said. “We protested peacefully but were arrested,” said AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar.
In response to Sisodia’s tweet, Kejriwal said: “We will take care of your family Manish, don’t worry.
Despite being subpoenaed last Sunday, Sisodia requested a stay of his questioning, citing Delhi budget preparations. The senior AAP leader also holds the Delhi government’s financial portfolio.
BJP fears Kejriwal’s rise in popularity, allegations against Sisodia are false: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the BJP on Sunday, claiming it was “scared” by Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s “rising popularity” when his deputy Manish Sisodia appeared before the CBI for questioning in the Delhi excise policy fraud case. By claiming that the CBI will arrest Sisodia even though the charges against him are “false,” AAP leaders also claimed that the BJP tried to intimidate them.
“The BJP seeks to silence and intimidate AAP leaders through false cases, raids and arrests.
She claimed that the allegations against Sisodia were “false” and said the BJP should prove the corruption allegations it is leveling against the AAP.
“The AAP is an unwaveringly honest party and the BJP’s fear was plain to see today. The whole country has seen that the BJP is afraid of the increasing popularity of Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi party in the country,” Atishi said.
AAP national spokesman Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed the CBI will arrest Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, adding that the BJP is trying to “weaken Delhi’s education model” as it is “afraid” of Arvind Kejriwal.
“The allegations against him are ridiculous. If anyone had accepted a bribe of Rs 10,000 crore, as the CBI has claimed, the money would have been found somewhere,” he said.
AAP Delhi leader and Environment Minister Gopal Rai said several AAP party officials were on their way to Rajghat to express their support for Sisodia but were arrested by Delhi police.
Police arrested 50 people, including AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Rai, who were protesting near the CBI offices where Deputy Prime Minister Manish Sisodia is being questioned in the Delhi tax fraud case. Police said Section 144 CrPC was imposed in the area.
“It is very unfortunate that the Prime Minister is afraid of Arvind Kejriwal and therefore all these preparations have been made to arrest Sisodia,” Rai claimed.
Sanjay Singh accused the center of defaming the Delhi Minister of Education through false allegations.
“The BJP-run center has sold all land to Adani, from coal to electricity, water, roads, cement, steel, seaports and airports. They gave Adani a loan of Rs. 2.5 crore and waived the loan of Rs. 84,000. They cannot act against Adani but are ready to act against Sisodia,” he said.
Senior AAP leader Jasmine Shah accused the BJP of “selectively targeting” AAP leaders and “suppressing their achievements”.
“The BJP sees AAP as their biggest challenger. They want to limit the AAP to Delhi alone. The truth will eventually emerge no matter how hard the BJP tries to suppress it.
“By contrast, the BJP is no longer targeting Rahul Gandhi and Congress as they want a weak Congress party to remain their main political challenge,” Shah claimed.
Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio in the Delhi cabinet, arrived at the heavily barricaded CBI office in the national capital on Sunday after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat.
He was originally subpoenaed last Sunday, but had asked for his questioning to be postponed, citing the housekeeping exercise, prompting the CBI to ask him to appear on February 26.
Sisodia, the CBI FIR’s number one defendant in the case, was questioned on Oct. 17, a month before the agency filed its indictment on Nov. 25 last year.
(With inputs from PTI)
