Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia's court date today; What are the charges against him?

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy relating to the sale of alcohol. He has been serving as Delhi's deputy chief minister since 2015 after the landslide victory of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi Assembly election.

Manish Sisodia's arrest, one of the highest-profile actions against an opposition leader, comes after that of Satyendar Jain, Delhi's the then health minister, in June last year. Sisodia will be produced before a designated court today.

Manish Sisodia was arrested after nearly eight hours of questioning on various aspects of the excise policy for 2021-22, which the probe agency says suffered from irregularities both in its formulation and implementation, allegedly intended to benefit people with links to the AAP.

The CBI investigators were not satisfied with Sisodia's answers, an agency official said, adding he was not cooperating in the investigation and avoided clarifications sought on crucial points. "He gave evasive replies and did not cooperate in the investigation despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary. Therefore, he has been arrested," the CBI said in a statement.

In a statement, the CBI said Sisodia was issued a notice under CrPC section 41A to attend the investigation on February 19. "However, he sought time of one week citing his preoccupation. Accepting his request, he was issued a notice for attending the investigation on February 26 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.

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Before leaving for a second round of questioning by the CBI, Sisodia had, earlier in the day, expressed apprehension that he may be arrested. "I can go to jail several times and I am not afraid. When I left my job as a journalist, my wife supported me. 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.

Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio in the Delhi Cabinet, was originally summoned last Sunday but he sought deferment of his questioning citing the ongoing Budget exercise, following which, the CBI had asked him to appear on February 26.

This was the second round of questioning of Sisodia after the agency registered a case on August 17 last year. He was quizzed on October 17 last year.

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Reacting to Sisodia's arrest, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the deputy chief minister was innocent and his arrest was "dirty politics". "...His arrest has angered people quite a lot. People are watching everything. People now understand everything and will give reply to this. It will boost our spirit and our struggle will only get stronger," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

According to officials, 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. In the FIR, the CBI has booked him under IPC sections 120-B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of accounts) and provisions of the Prevention Of Corruption Act including Section 7 (taking undue advantage to influence a public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by the exercise of personal influence).

(With inputs from PTI)