New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) five-day remand of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was arrested last evening for alleged financial irregularities in the now-scrapped liquor policy of 2021-22.
Sisodia, also the capital’s finance minister, will remain in CBI custody till 4 March.
The probe agency asked for the extra five days for further interrogation because it felt the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader did not fully cooperate during earlier interrogations, sources said.
Manish Sisodia’s counsel opposed the CBI’s demand for custody in the Rouse Avenue court, saying there was no evidence against the AAP politician. Advocate Dayan Krishnan said the Delhi deputy chief minister has always cooperated with the probe agency.
Sisodia was summoned thrice and he appeared twice, Krishnan said. He added on behalf of Sisodia: “The CBI has alleged that he was concealing true facts of the case… Their case is that I did not confess. That’s their case. They expect me to answer the way they want.”
Krishnan further told the Rouse Avenue Court: “If someone is not willing to say something, that can’t be grounds for arrest.”
To the CBI’s charge that Sisodia had changed his mobile phone, his counsel said that was not a crime.
The AAP leader’s advocate said he was a minister, and, therefore, couldn’t give his phone for “second-hand use”. Sisodia replied through his counsel: “CBI is showing call logs, but show us any phone calls to me… They are alleging that I destroyed my phone. I’m a minister. I can’t give my phone for second-hand use. It will have confidential data and it can’t be ground (for arrest).”
To the CBI’s contention that Sisodia was not cooperating, the leader countered in court: “As far as cooperation goes, I appeared when I was summoned. Searches were conducted… Where is the case that I didn’t cooperate? Just because I didn’t answer the way they wanted?”
Sisodia was produced in the Rouse Avenue court late Monday afternoon, as AAP leaders and workers continued to protest throughout the day.
#WATCH | CBI brings Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia to Rouse Avenue Court. He was arrested yesterday by CBI in Excise Policy case. pic.twitter.com/dqRuScar1C
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2023
There were protests in other states too, which resulted in the detention of many party workers.
Around 7.15 pm on Sunday – after nearly nine hours of questioning – Sisodia was arrested for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-withdrawn 2021-22 liquor policy.
Sisodia, who was accused No. 1 in the first information report (FIR) registered by the CBI, was not among the seven against whom the probe agency filed the first charge sheet in November last year.
A CBI officer said Sisodia’s answers during Sunday’s interrogation were not satisfactory.
Also read: AAP stages protest in Kolkata over arrest of Manish Sisodia