The Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, was arrested by the CBI on Sunday in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped liquor policy. His arrest sparked protests by AAP members near the BJP headquarters. Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi, has been detained by the CBI until March 4. In the matter involving the Delhi excise policy, he was presented before a local court today.
When Sisodia was introduced, there was a significant amount of security both within and outside the Rouse Avenue Courts building. Meanwhile, the order has been reserved by special judge M K Nagpal.
Nationwide demonstrations against Sisodia’s detention were organised by AAP supporters. After engaging in combat with paramilitary personnel during the demonstration in front of the BJP headquarters on Delhi’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Marg, some AAP supporters were taken into custody. To scatter them, security personnel used lathicharge.
“The arrest of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia by CBI is another example of how BJP misuses the Union Government’s agencies to intimidate the opposition. It’s a blatant abuse of power and an attack on democracy,” tweeted Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
The arrest of @msisodia by CBI is another example of how @BJP4India misuses the Union Government's agencies to intimidate the opposition. It's a blatant abuse of power and an attack on democracy. Such repression undermines the very foundation of our nation and should be resisted.
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) February 27, 2023
Later Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal tweeted “I am told that most CBI officers were against Manish’s arrest. All of them have huge respect for him and there is no evidence against him. But the political pressure to arrest him was so high that they had to obey their political masters.”
I am told that most CBI officers were against Manish’s arrest. All of them have huge respect for him and there is no evidence against him. But the political pressure to arrest him was so high that they had to obey their political masters
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 27, 2023
Sisodia’s attorney argued that although the CBI claims that he changed his cell phones, that is not a crime in opposition to the investigation agency’s request for detention. The attorney claimed there was no prospect of a plot because the policy was created after considering comments from everyone, including the lieutenant governor of Delhi.
