Manish Sisodia produced at Delhi court in excise scam: Watch video

There was a heavy security presence in and outside the Rouse Avenue Courts premises where Sisodia was produced.

Watch video here:

On Sunday, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after eight hours of questioning. The CBI claimed that he was giving evasive replies and wasn’t cooperating in the ongoing investigation in the liquor scam case. Later, the CBI had released a statement on Sisodia’s arrest, claiming that he was not cooperating with the investigation in the liquor scam case.

Shortly before arriving at the CBI office for questioning, the deputy chief minister had said false cases were being lodged against leaders of the party, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “afraid” of CM Kejriwal.

Sisodia’s arrest sparked political controversy, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claiming that most CBI officers were against the former’s arrest due to lack of evidence, but were compelled to do so owing to the “pressure” borne on them by their “political masters”.

“I am told that most CBI officers were against Manish’s arrest. All of them have huge respect for him and there is no evidence against him. But the political pressure to arrest him was so high that they had to obey their political masters,” Kejriwal tweeted.

The case revolves around alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22. Sisodia’s arrest comes ahead of the municipal polls scheduled to be held in Delhi later this year. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Kejriwal, is seeking re-election in the polls and is expected to face stiff competition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.

(With inputs from agencies)