Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia was on Sunday arrested by the CBI after eight hours of questioning in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor excise policy case, intensifying the running feud between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP.
Sisodia is expected to be produced before a court tomorrow.
The AAP cried foul, alleging that the arrest was scripted by the ruling dispensation at the Centre in view of the growing popularity of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy Sisodia.
”We are not scared of what the BJP-led government was doing against our leaders. We will continue to work for the welfare of the people,” AAP spokesperson Atishi said at a press conference soon after the arrest.
However, the BJP spokespersons asserted that Sisodia would have to face the law, alleging that he was clearly involved in the scam in the excise policy. ”Why are they (AAP leaders) scared of facing the law if they are clean?” BJP MP Parvesh Verma asked.
The arrest obviously did not come as a surprise to the AAP as Sisodia had himself expressed apprehension about it this morning, much before his questioning by the CBI. Kejriwal too was apprehensive as he assured Sisodia that the party would take care of his family.
“When you (Sisodia) go to jail for the country and society, it is not a curse, it is a glory. I pray to God that you return from jail soon. Children, parents and all of us in Delhi will be waiting for you,” Kejriwal tweeted.
The Delhi Police had made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order in case of an arrest, including the deployment of personnel outside Sisodia’s house and the CBI office. In the morning, police detained several AAP leaders and workers who protested outside the CBI headquarters.
Earlier in the day, before going to the CBI office, Sisodia, the most trusted lieutenant of Kejriwal, marched to offer prayers at the Rajghat to offer prayers at the ’samadhi’ of Mahatma Gandhi.
“Conspiracies are being hatched by the CBI and ED and false cases are being lodged against our party leaders because PM Narendra Modi is afraid of CM Arvind Kejriwal’s rising popularity. As the AAP grows further, the BJP will continue to slap false cases on us. We are not afraid of the CBI, ED and their false cases,” he told his supporters who had gathered at the Rajghat in large numbers.
He further appealed to Arvind Kejriwal to “keep fighting” for the welfare of the people. “I want to tell Kejriwal-ji, please continue with what you are doing. Keep fighting for the welfare of the people,” Sisodia said, even as the AAP workers chanted slogans against the PM and the central government.
Earlier, the CBI had asked Sisodia to appear for questioning on 19 February. Last Sunday, Sisodia requested the central agency to defer questioning saying that he is “preparing the budget” at present and can only appear before it towards February-end.
However, Sisodia has not been named as an accused in the charge-sheet filed in the case. Arrested businessmen Vijay Nair and Abhishek are among the seven accused named in the charge-sheet.
In August last year, the CBI searched Sisodia’s bank locker in connection with the case. The deputy CM claimed the sleuths did not find any incriminating material in his locker.
The CBI launched a probe in the case on the basis of a report forwarded by the Delhi chief secretary to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommending an investigation by the central agency.