CBI gets 5-day custody of Manish Sisodia - Here's what we know so far

CBI gets 5-day custody of Manish Sisodia: Here’s what we know so far and reactionsDelhi deputy chief minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia has been sent on five-day custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in alleged liquor policy scam. He will remain in CBI custody until March 4. Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.

Here's what we know so far and reaction from various other political quarters:

-- Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Monday termed the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as another "brazen attempt" by the BJP-led government at the Centre to suppress democratically elected state governments. Soren said the arrest of Sisodia, which took place in Delhi on Sunday, is "disappointing and disheartening".

"This is yet another brazen attempt to attack and suppress voices of democratically elected state governments which are working hard for people especially the marginalised and their issues," he said in a tweet.

Soren, who has been vocal in his attack on the Centre and the saffron party, accused both of unleashing all central forces to destabilise the governments in non-BJP ruled states.

CBI arrested Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.

The arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Shri @msisodia’ is disappointing & disheartening. This is yet another brazen attempt to attack and suppress voices of democratically elected state governments which are working hard for people especially the marginalised and their issues.

— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) February 27, 2023

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party has called protests staged by AAP as "drama". With its drama, AAP signalling it won't let probe agencies do their work, it amounts to obstructing process of justice, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said. Bhatia said that the CBI is acting lawfully against the "corrupt" but the city's ruling party does not seem to believe in law, Constitution and people.

With its "drama" and show of "anarchy", the AAP has signalled that it will not let probe agencies do their work which amounts to obstructing the process of justice and contempt of court, BJP spokesperson

Gaurav Bhatia told reporters after Sisodia was sent to the CBI remand till March 4 in the case of alleged irregularities and corruption in excise policy, now withdrawn.

The BJP leader described the AAP as "Arajak Apradh Party" (anarchic, criminal party) and said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seems to have taken oath on the Constitution to destroy it, he alleged.

Earlier in the day, Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh lashed out at the BJP and the Centre and alleged Sisodia's arrest was "nothing but the BJP's dictatorship" and that it was done to divert the public attention from the Adani issue.

"The leader who has been working hard for the development of poor children has been arrested by the CBI. Manish Sisodia's house was thoroughly raided but nothing was found. This is happening to divert the attention of the public from the outrage over Adani," news agency PTI quoted Singh as saying.

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 Addressing a press conference, Singh further alleged that the BJP has been “harassing” those leaders and their parties who sought a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani matter.

"They have started harassing those leaders who were seeking JPC probe into the Adani matter. CBI, SEBI, IT department are all silent now. On one hand, there is Adani who is swindling crores of money and roaming free without any probe and on the other, they are arresting a leader who has been working dedicatedly," Singh alleged.

The US-based Hindenburg Research had made a host of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share-price manipulation, against the Adani Group.
The Adani Group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements.

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