Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Monday sent former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to judicial custody till March 20 in the excise policy case – hours after his Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody which was extended for two days, ended. During the hearing, the CBI told the Court that they are not seeking Sisodia’s further remand for the next 15 days, however, noting it may be sought later if required.
Reacting to the allegations of the CBI conducting an “illegal act”, the central agency said, “Searches were conducted, a warrant was taken, the accused was produced before the court and the court is being informed about everything. On the other side, it is being said that the CBI is doing an illegal act.”
To this, the Delhi court responded: “If they feel that something is illegal, they can challenge it.”
Also read: Sisodia’s arrest: Poster war intensifies with Congress’s ‘jo bhrashtachari hai…’
Sisodia was arrested on February 26 over alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and later was sent to a five-day CBI custody. On February 28, the former deputy CM moved Supreme Court for bail, however, his plea was junked, with the top court suggesting to approach the lower court before moving to the higher court.
Later, he moved the local court in Delhi seeking a regular bail, which will be heard on March 10.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with eight other opposition leaders wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning Sisodia’s arrest. The letter slammed the “blatant misuse of central agencies” and called the arrest an example of a “political witch-hunt”.
