NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has reserved its decision on whether to extend the custody of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, for three more days. Sisodia has been arrested on charges of alleged corruption in Delhi’s liquor policy. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had requested to extend his custody for three more days.
Sisodia’s advocate has opposed the CBI’s plea, stating that the inefficiency of the investigating agency cannot be the reason for his client being taken on remand. The lawyer further added that his client cannot be forced to implicate himself.
Manish Sisodia was produced before special judge MK Nagpal, according to news agency PTI. Sisodia has maintained that non-cooperation in the investigation cannot be the basis for the extension of custody and has opposed the extension of his remand.
Excise policy case | Delhi Court fixes March 10 for hearing in the bail plea of arrested former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. Court issues notice to CBI on Sisodia's bail plea
— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2023
Meanwhile, during Sisodia’s appearance in court, Aam Aadmi Party workers demonstrated and created a ruckus outside. On Monday, Sisodia was sent to CBI custody for five days after his arrest last Sunday evening on charges of alleged corruption.
After the arrest, Sisodia resigned from the Kejriwal cabinet. The bail plea hearing is scheduled for March 10.
On March 7, 2022, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, for his alleged involvement in a corruption case related to the city’s liquor policy. He was produced before special judge MK Nagpal and was subsequently remanded in CBI custody for five days. The CBI sought an extension of his custody by three more days, but the court reserved its decision on the matter. Sisodia’s advocate opposed the CBI’s plea, stating that the agency’s inefficiency cannot be the reason for his client’s remand.
Manish Sisodia, who was a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been a prominent figure in Delhi’s political landscape. He was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi in 2015 after the AAP won a sweeping victory in the Delhi Assembly elections. He was re-elected to the post in 2020 after the party won a landslide victory in the state elections.
Sisodia’s arrest has sent shockwaves through the political circles of Delhi. The AAP has alleged that the BJP-led central government is using the CBI as a tool to target opposition leaders. The party has called Sisodia’s arrest a “political vendetta” and has demanded his immediate release.
The case against Sisodia pertains to alleged irregularities in the city’s liquor policy during his tenure as the Delhi Finance Minister. The CBI has alleged that Sisodia and his aides had accepted bribes from a firm involved in the liquor business in exchange for granting them licenses to sell alcohol in the city. The agency has claimed to have evidence to support its allegations, including audio recordings of conversations between Sisodia and the accused.
The arrest of Manish Sisodia has come as a major setback for the AAP, which has been in power in Delhi for the past seven years. Sisodia was widely regarded as one of the party’s most prominent leaders and was seen as a potential successor to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. His arrest has raised questions about the party’s ability to govern effectively in the face of such challenges.
Meanwhile, AAP workers have been protesting outside the court during Sisodia’s appearances. The party has accused the BJP of using the CBI to target its leaders and has called for a nationwide protest against the central government’s “misuse” of investigative agencies.
In conclusion, the arrest of Manish Sisodia has raised many questions about the impartiality of India’s investigative agencies and the use of these agencies as political tools by the ruling party. The case against Sisodia is still ongoing, and the court’s decision on his bail plea will be closely watched. The AAP has vowed to fight back against what it calls the central government’s “vendetta” against opposition leaders and has called on the people of India to support their cause.
