NEW DELHI: Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann has strongly condemned the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor excise policy case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday. Mann also visited Sisodia’s residence along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal late on Sunday to meet his wife and assured her of all support. Later, in a tweet, CM Mann said, “Sisodia’s arrest is an insult to the education of lakhs of children of Delhi… Sending the one who builds schools to jail is part of the BJP’s agenda.”
The arrest of Manish Sisodia ji is actually a contempt for the education of lakhs of children of Delhi..Sending the school builder to jail is part of BJP’s “agenda”… https://t.co/SiPfOkyEtO— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) February 26, 2023
Both Mann and Kejriwal slammed the BJP-led Centre over his deputy Manish Sisodia’s arrest, saying people will respond to it as they are watching how “patriots and honest people” are being jailed while “no action is taken” against those looting the country’s banks.
The CBI, which on Sunday arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy relating to the sale of alcohol,
has said that the former was giving evasive replies and not cooperating in the investigation. The probe agency also said that Sisodia was earlier called on February 19 for investigation, but he sought time for seven days.
The CBI’s move against the AAP leader could plunge the national capital into a governance crisis and further widen the political rift between the AAP and the BJP-led Central government. Sisodia was arrested after nearly eight hours of questioning as his answers were not satisfactory, officials said.
“Manish Sisodia has been arrested in a completely false case. Manish ji is a gentleman, a patriot as well as an honest and brave person who was busy serving the country round the clock,” Kejriwal told reporters after meeting the deputy chief minister’s wife at her residence following his arrest.
In a veiled attack on the BJP-led Centre, Kejriwal said, “We are witnessing how gentlemen, patriots, good and honest people are being arrested and jailed in the country. No action is taken against those who looted crores of rupees of banks because they are their friends.”
“These people do not have the courage to even serve a notice to them because they are their friends. The entire country is watching. People are watching and they will respond to it,” he added.
Extending support to Sisodia’s family, Mann said, “His wife is suffering from a very serious disease. It’s multiple sclerosis in which the brain slowly loses control of the body. She is alone at home. Manish used to take care of her.”
The Punjab Chief Minister added that Sisodia’s only son is out of town for studies. “We consoled her and said she doesn’t have to worry as her husband is a very brave man fighting for the country. The entire country is proud of Manish and we are a family and all of us take care of him,” Kejriwal added.
Speaking to reporters outside Sisodia’s residence, Mann alleged that Sisodia has been arrested by the CBI in “a false case” just to “scare and break” the Aam Aadmi Party team.
“This is an extremely cowardly step. AAP is not going to be scared by this. Our party was born out of an anti-corruption movement. We have come from the ground. We are not afraid of the misuse of CBI and ED by the Union government and will continue to serve the people without any fear,” he said.
Sisodia’s Emotional Message To Delhi Voters
“I might have to stay in jail for a few months, but I am not worried about it at all,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a letter to Delhiites before he left for the CBI office for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case on Sunday. He said false allegations have been levelled against him and he is confident that he will be cleared of all charges in court.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared Sisodia’s letter on Twitter. “These people are going to arrest me today. They have levelled false allegations against me. I am sure all these cases will be dismissed in court, but it might take some time. It is possible that I might have to stay in jail for a few months. But I am not worried about it at all,” Sisodia said in his letter, without naming anyone.
“We are followers of Bhagat Singh. He embraced capital punishment for the sake of the country. Going to jail is a small thing,” he said. The deputy chief minister had made similar remarks while addressing party workers at Rajghat.
Sisodia claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared of the AAP’s rising popularity in the country. “Modiji is scared of Arvind Kejriwal. He is not scared of Rahul Gandhi or any other leader, but only Arvind Kejriwal. They want to trample the AAP and Kejriwal. As the AAP’s popularity will grow, the number of false cases against us will also rise,” he said.