The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the bail plea of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia challenging his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the excise policy case. The court will take up the matter at 3:50 pm today.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia who is presently in CBI’s custody.
CBI arrest Sisodia
The CBI arrested Sisodia on Sunday after eight hours of questioning in connection with the alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22. He has been sent to five-day CBI remand to allow the agency to get "genuine and legitimate" answers to questions being asked to him.
Special CBI judge M K Nagpal noted that though the accused had joined the investigation of this case on two earlier occasions, it has been observed that he has failed to provide satisfactory answers to most of the questions put to him during his examination and interrogation. Thus, he has failed to legitimately explain the incriminating evidence which has allegedly surfaced against him during the investigation conducted so far.
It is true that he cannot be expected to make self-incriminating statements, but the interests of justice and of a fair investigation require him to come up with some legitimate answers to the questions which are being put to him by the investigating officer (IO), the trial judge had said.
Nationwide protests
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took out a nationwide protest yesterday against Sisodia's arrest. Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Delhi and Mumbai AAP members protested outside the BJP offices.
In Mumbai, visuals showed police personnel dragging party workers including party chief Preeti Sharma Menon. "This arrest is beyond crushing dissent, this is purely against the people of Delhi, against the nation, blocking education welfare," the party said.
A senior police officer earlier said that heavy security arrangements have been made on the stretch -- DDU Marg -- in central Delhi where both the BJP and the AAP headquarters are located. The party hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for beefing up security forces outside the BJP offices and asked what they are afraid of.
Other interrogations
Earlier this month, the agency had interrogated Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in Tihar Jail in connection with the case after taking permission from the judge. Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. He is not an accused in the excise policy case.
The CBI had also quizzed AAP's communication in-charge Vijay Nair, who is also lodged in Tihar Jail, in connection with the excise policy money laundering case being probed by the ED. Nair was earlier granted bail in the CBI excise policy case by the court.
(With inputs from PTI)
