Manish Sisodia arrested: Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested after hours of questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the liquor policy case on Sunday. The Delhi minister has been arrested in connection with the alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22. CBI questioned the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister in the liquor policy case for nearly eight hours following which he was arrested as his answers were not found satisfactory, officials said.
- Sisodia was questioned on various aspects of the Excise policy, his alleged link with Dinesh Arora and other accused in the FIR, and details of message exchanges from multiple phones among others, they said.
- Officials reiterated that Sisodia's answers were not found satisfactory and he was also not cooperating in the investigation. Sisodia was avoiding clarifications on crucial points sought, they said.
- In its statement, CBI said that it has today arrested Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD.
- The instant case was registered against Deputy Chief Minister & In charge Excise Minister, GNCTD of Delhi and 14 others for investigation into the matter of alleged irregularities in framing & implementation of Excise Policy for the year 2021-22 and extending post tender benefits to private persons.
- Reacting to Sisodia's arrest, AAP MP Sanjay Singh hit out at the Modi government saying, "...Arresting Manish Sisodia is the height of dictatorship. Modi ji, you have not done good by arresting a good person and the best education minister, even God will not forgive you. One day your dictatorship will definitely end."
- "Manish Sisodia is honest man. He has been serving the country. He worked hard for underprivileged students and transformed government schools in Delhi. Today he has been arrested. We are seeing how honest and nationalist people are getting arrested nationwide," said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
- "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 said earlier in the day while expressing apprehensions about his arrest today.
- Sisodia was accused 'number one' in the CBI FIR in the liquor policy case.
- After Sisodia's arrest, AAP said it will hold protest at BJP headquarters on Monday around 12 PM.
- Hitting out at the Delhi government, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "In the last one year, did Arvind Kejriwal or AAP member ever conducted a single press conference for explaining excise policy."
Meanwhile, a total of 36 persons including Shri Sanjay Singh (MP Rajya Sabha), Gopal Rai (MLA and minister in Delhi govt), Rohit Kumar Mehraulia (MLA, Trilokpuri) and Dinesh Mohnia (MLA Sangam Vihar) have been detained for violating the provisions section 144 CrPC imposed in South District.
They were detained on Sunday afternoon from Lodhi Road while Sisodia was being questioned by the CBI.
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