A Delhi court on Saturday extended by two days the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remand of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, while he complained that “repeated questioning for 9-10 hours” in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy was like “mental harassment”.
Delhi Rouse Avenue court, while extending Sisodia’s custody, observed that his confrontation with two material witnesses remains to be done and a key file is yet to be traced.
The Delhi deputy CM was arrested by CBI on February 26 after prolonged interrogation. A day later, he was produced before the court and was sent to five days’ CBI custody. On Saturday, the central agency sought extension of his custody by three days, but the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader’s counsel opposed the application.
Advocate Pankaj Gupta and special public prosecutor Praneet Sharma submitted before the court that Sisodia had been confronted with some key witnesses but his behaviour during the confrontation was “uncooperative” and “evasive”.
They also submitted that a major portion of the time during the five-day custody was consumed in a petition filed by Sisodia before the Supreme Court, due to which the agency lost a day during court proceedings, and in getting him medically examined every 48 hours.
The CBI counsel further sought three days’ custody stating that they have to confront Sisodia with a few excise officials and to trace a certain missing document that pertains to a Cabinet note prepared in respect to the excise policy.
Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Sisodia along with senior advocate Mohit Mathur, vehemently opposed the application stating that non-cooperation and waiting for him to confess cannot be a ground for seeking custody remand.
“Remand is [the] exception. You’ve 15 days doesn’t mean court will give 15 days. Court will have to see. What is the compelling reason?” he had submitted.
Mathur submitted that CBI has been reagitating the same reason for arrest, for police custody and for seeking further extension of the custody.
“CBI is treating me well, and everyone respects me, and no one is using third degree. But repeated questioning for 9-10 hours is also like mental harassment,” Sisodia told the court. They also contended during the arguments that the health condition of Sisodia’s wife, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, has been brushed aside in the case.
After hearing the submissions, special judge Prevention of Corruption Act MK Nagpal extended Sisodia’s CBI custody by two days.
The court also noted in the order that: “However, it is desired that during this period, the IO (investigating officer) shall complete all the above confrontation exercise and also the examination and interrogation of the accused for the above said purposes.”
Sisodia had also moved a bail application before the court on Friday citing that no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody, and that all the other co-accused in the matter have been granted bail. The court sought CBI’s reply to the bail application and has listed the bail application for further hearing on March 10.
On Tuesday, Sisodia had approached the Supreme Court seeking bail and quashing of FIR, but the apex court refused to intervene and pointed out that he had sufficient legal remedies to exhaust before approaching the top court of the country.
“…..you have full alternate remedies available (but) you have come directly to this court against arrest and for bail. How do we entertain it here?” the Supreme Court had observed.
Sisodia, who has 18 portfolios, is the most high-profile sitting opposition minister to be arrested by a federal agency, gave his resignation hours his plea was junked by the Supreme Court.
Sisodia’s arrest is connected to the excise policy in which the agency claims kickbacks were paid. But the policy was scrapped when the lieutenant governor VK Saxena asked for an investigation, citing a report by the chief secretary who alleged irregularities. The AAP and the Capital’s elected government have rejected the charges, alleging it to be a ploy by the BJP-controlled Union government to target its rival.
Senior AAP leaders said that Sisodia’s arrest is part of the “evil designs” of the central government and the BJP. “AAP’s struggle against the Central government will continue in the courts, streets, and the Parliament of India. Modi government’s actions show that it wants to keep India uneducated (by arresting Manish Sisodia who was education minister as well). Each citizen and AAP worker can see through your evil designs now. No matter what you do, the AAP work will continue, the people of Delhi will not be deterred, our caravan will not be halted, and Arvind Kejriwal’s popularity will never wane,” AAP MP Sanjay Singh said.
BJP leaders said with the extension of Sisodia’s CBI remand, a “Pandora’s box of corruption” will soon be opened. “The Rouse Avenue court has extended Sisodia’s remand for only two days, but the road ahead is going to be more difficult for Sisodia as pandora box of corruption he has done opens in court,” said Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva. “A failed attempt by Manish Sisodia to play the victim card in the name of the family was made in the court but justice cannot be done if all the criminals try to seek sympathy,” he added.
