Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing the “voices of protest” raised by several Opposition parties.

In the letter addressed to PM Modi, Vijayan stated, “I write this letter to invite the kind attention of the Prime Minister to the voices of protest that are being raised by leaders of several opposition parties, including some State Chief Ministers, on the arrest of Manish Sisodia.” “While refraining from commenting on the merits of the case under investigation, let me submit that the arrest of Sisodia has lent further force to the argument about certain actions of the central investigation agencies,” Vijayan said in the letter.

It is the golden principle of natural justice that justice should not only be done, but seem to be done too, Vijayan said in the letter.

He further added, “Manish Sisodia is an elected representative of the people and has been appearing before the investigating agencies in response to their summons. Unless the arrest was an imperative for preventing the impediment to the investigation, the desirable act would have been to avoid it,” the letter read.

The Kerala CM said that the ‘widespread perception’ that Sisodia is being “targeted” needs to be dispelled.

“As per information coming out in public domain, nothing incriminating like cash seizure has taken place in the case of Sisodia. While law has to take its course, it is equally important that the widespread perception that Sisodia is being targeted for political reasons need to be dispelled. As we emphasise on the principle of cooperative federalism, excessive actions on the part of anyone concerned should be avoided,” he added in the letter.

The letter further stated, “In this matter, I hope that guidance from the Hon’ble Prime Minister will go a long way in changing the present perception, which is reflected in the letter of the important political leaders including some Chief Ministers in this matter”.

Sisodia was arrested on February 26 in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).

On Monday, he was sent to Judicial Custody till March 20 by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court.