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New Delhi: In Delhi on Sunday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the evening after nearly eight hours of questioning over alleged corruption in the implementation of the 2021-22 Excise Policy. With this development, the political gulf between the BJP-led central government and the Aam Aadmi Party may deepen. Sisodia is the second minister in the Delhi government to be arrested after the arrest of the then Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain in June last year.
After the arrest of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government is in trouble. Actually, Sisodia has a total of 18 departments including education, finance and home. The immediate challenge for Kejriwal is to present the Delhi government’s budget in a timely manner and find a new leader to replace Sisodia.
Prior to Sisodia’s arrest, the then Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested in June last year. After his absence, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has no strong face to implement his agenda of governance in Delhi.
The Deputy CM will be lodged at the CBI headquarters for now and security has been beefed up outside the office. He will be produced before the court on Monday. The AAP leader was arrested under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 477 A (intent to defraud) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CBI summoned him on Sunday in connection with the alleged irregularities and corruption in the formulation and implementation of the new excise policy for the national capital. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was arrested after over eight hours of questioning during which his answers were not found satisfactory, officials said.
Sisodia had earlier said he was ready for a few months of stay in jail. Showing support for his cabinet minister, AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “God is with you Manish. The blessings of lakhs of children and their parents are with you. When you go to jail for the country and society, then going to jail is not a curse, it is a glory. I pray to God that you return from jail soon. Children, parents and we all of Delhi will be waiting for you.”
भगवान आपके साथ है मनीष। लाखों बच्चों और उनके पेरेंट्स की दुआयें आपके साथ हैं। जब आप देश और समाज के लिए जेल जाते हैं तो जेल जाना दूषण नहीं, भूषण होता है। प्रभू से कामना करता हूँ कि आप जल्द जेल से लौटें। दिल्ली के बच्चे, पैरेंट्स और हम सब आपका इंतज़ार करेंगे। https://t.co/h8VrIIYRTz
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 26, 2023
Sisodia was arrested after nearly eight hours of questioning on various aspects of the Excise Policy for 2021-22. The probe agency says there were irregularities in both the formulation and implementation of the excise policy and it was allegedly aimed at benefiting people associated with the AAP.
