NEW DELHI: The Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, was arrested on Sunday evening by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the agency headquarters where he was called for questioning over the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
He arrived at the heavily-barricaded CBI office after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat, officials said.
The excise policy was an alleged scam wherein an "erroneous policy was enforced by the AAP Government that caused losses to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 2873 crores and benefitted liquor traders through a planned conspiracy."
The AAP leader, accused number one in the CBI FIR, was earlier questioned on October 17, a month before the agency filed its charge sheet on November 25.
The CBI had not named Sisodia in the charge sheet as the central probe agency kept the probe open against him and other suspects and accused, they said.
Sisodia was arrested after his deposition appeared incoherent with respect to the evidence and information gathered by the agency during the preliminary probe and statements of witnesses and accused (including government officials) who deposed in the case so far. In a statement issued post his arrest, the CBI claimed, “He gave evasive replies and did not co-operate the investigation despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary.”
As non-cooperation in the investigations has been cited as the prime reason for his arrest, the agency will produce Sisodia in the special court at Rouse Avenue in Delhi, on Monday where his custodial remand would be sought for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Sources said that during questioning Sisodia was also asked about the changing of 7 mobile phones and destroying about 170 SIM cards and mobile handsets along with other accused to which no satisfactory answer was received. Sisodia was also confronted by two Delhi government officers during interrogation at the CBI headquarters on Sunday.
On February 19, Sisodia skipped CBI summon for questioning apprehending arrest and had sought more time from the agency, citing that he was in the midst of finalising the budget for Delhi and the draft is at a very crucial stage.
“Accepting his request, he was reissued the notice under 41A Cr.P.C for attending the investigation today (on 26.02.2023) for answering various questions evaded by him during his examination on October 17, 2022, and further questions relating to his incriminating role based on evidence collected during the investigation of the case,” the CBI said
Amidst fresh apprehensions that he might get arrested, Sisodia reached the headquarters of the CBI in New Delhi around 11.15 am on Sunday to answer questions of the federal agency which is probing the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 scam.
He also told reporters on Sunday before heading to CBI headquarters that he doesn't care if he has to stay in jail for a few months. In his tweet, the Delhi Deputy CM said “Going to the CBI today again. Will cooperate fully in the entire investigation. The love of lakhs of children and the blessings of crores of countrymen are with us. I don't care if I have to stay in jail for a few months.”
This was the second occasion that the CBI has asked Sisodia to make himself available at the agency’s headquarters in New Delhi to answer queries related to the Delhi excise scam. He was summoned last year (2022) on October 17. During this, he was questioned for almost 9 hours. The CBI sleuth also paid a recent visit to Sisodia’s office at Delhi Secretariat on January 14, “to gather certain information.”
The CBI registered the Delhi Excise scam case in August last year against Sisodia and 14 others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of records), and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The FIR was lodged after Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. Sisodia, in charge of the excise department at the relevant period when the policy was formulated and implemented.
It was alleged that the policy, which was brought into effect in November 2021, was influenced at the formulation stage to benefit certain businessmen, liquor distributors and traders. Following the registration of the case the Delhi government had withdrawn the policy with effect from 31 July 2022.
So far the CBI has filed one chargesheet in the case on November 25, 2022, and named seven accused, including two officials of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and five persons were named in relation to the alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy.
Those named are Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally, Arun R Pillai, Mootha Gautham, Sameer Mahendru, Kuldeep Singh, who was the then deputy commissioner, Excise and Narender Singh, the then asst. commissioner of Delhi’s Excise Department.
AAP leaders detained, curfew imposed on Sunday
Meanwhile, Police on Sunday detained 50 persons, including AAP MP Sanjay Singh and minister Gopal Rai, protesting near the CBI office where Sisodia was being questioned. Police said section 144 CrPC was imposed in the area.
Gopal Rai, the environment minister in the Delhi government, said the police were taking him away in his car. In a tweet in Hindi, Rai said, "Modi ji's hooliganism at its peak. I cannot walk without someone's help but police surrounded my car from all sides and forcefully made the person accompanying me get down. Policemen barged inside my car and are taking me. This is the height of hooliganism but neither will we be scared nor will we bow down."
Several AAP leaders, meanwhile, also claimed that some of their councillors have been put under house arrest to prevent them from visiting Raj Ghat.
Sisodia says allegations false, not afraid of going to jail
Sisodia said he does not care if he has to go to jail over "false allegations". "I can go to jail a number of times and I am not afraid. When I left my job as a journalist, my wife supported me and even today, my family is standing by my side. My workers will take care of my family if I get arrested," Sisodia told reporters at Raj Ghat before going to the CBI headquarters.
Sisodia, who also holds the education and finance portfolio in the Delhi government, said, "I want to tell the students that they should continue to work hard and study well. Even if I go to jail, I will keep a tab on the performance of the students," he said.
Earlier in a tweet in Hindi, Sisodia said he will fully cooperate with the probe. "Today, I am going to the CBI. Will fully cooperate in the probe. I have the love of lakhs of children and crores of countrymen with me. Even if I have to go to jail for a few months, I do not care. We are followers of Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh died for the country. If I have to go to jail over such false allegations, it is a small thing," he said.
(With PTI inputs)