A Delhi court on Saturday extended the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was arrested by the central probe agency in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy case, for two days even as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and workers held a protest outside the Rouse Avenue Court demanding the release of Sisodia.
Special CBI Judge MK Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court has also listed Sisodia’s bail plea for March 10. The court further issued notice to the CBI on Sisodia’s bail plea. The CBI sought further three-day remand of Sisodia during a hearing in Rouse Avenue Court.
Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan appearing for Manish Sisodia opposed the CBI request seeking an extension of remand. “Seeking an extension of remand by CBI is not justified,” Krishnan argued.
He said that the CBI was asking the same questions again and again and it is mental harassment. “They are not using third degrees. But sitting for eight to nine hours and answering the same questions again and again, that too, is mental harassment,” he told the court.
The court had also directed the CBI to conduct his medical exams at regular intervals.
On Saturday, hundreds of the AAP workers gathered before Sisodia’s appearance outside the Rouse Avenue court which is just a few metres away from the party office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg.
Sisodia was given five-day CBI custody in the Excise Police case which ended on Saturday and he was brought back to the court. The AAP workers raised slogans like ‘Manish Sisodia Ko Riha Karo’ (Release Manish Sisodia).
The party workers took to the street hours after the AAP’s Delhi convener and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh held a meeting with some of the workers at the party headquarters.
Meanwhile, heavy security was deployed and the road outside the party office was blocked. The central probe agency had arrested Sisodia on February 26 after eight hours of questioning.