‘Third-degree treatment’? What Manish Sisodia told Delhi court about CBI

The former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi however denied any use of third degree on him by the agency. “They are not using third-degree. But sitting for eight to nine hours and answering the same questions again and again, that too is mental harassment,” Sisodia said.

Special judge M K Nagpal then directed the CBI to not ask “the same questions again and again. If you have something new, ask him.”

While alleging that Sisodia is still not cooperative, the investigative agency had requested the court for a 3-day remand, to which the counsel of Sisodia claimed that the agency cannot say it will wait till he confesses.

“Non-cooperation cannot be a ground for remand. They cannot say we will wait till he confesses. They should have completed the investigation. Their failure to complete investigation can’t be a ground for remand,” senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Sisodia, said.

CBI claimed that the questioning is conducted till only 8:00 PM and one of the remand days was also wasted in Supreme Court as the accused filed a bail plea.

Sisodia also argued about the poor health of his wife and claimed that she is basically in a “vegetative state”.

“While considering all things, my wife’s medical condition has been brushed aside. She is basically a vegetable and her body is degenerating,” the counsel said on behalf of Sisodia.

The former minister also argued that keeping him in custody serves no fruitful purpose and all the recoveries in the case have been made and the other accused in the case have been already granted bail.

After listening to the arguments from both sides, the court reserved its order for 30 minutes and then ruled that the remand will be extended for 2 days and Sisodia will be again presented in court at 2:00 PM on 6 March.

(With inputs from PTI)