'ED works as chanda-vasooli agent for BJP, no liquor scam in Delhi': Manish Sisodia | Top Quotes

Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia on Wednesday reiterated that he was falsely implicated in the Delhi excise policy case, leading to his 17-month jail term. In an exclusive interview with India TV, the 52-year-old leader said that he never imagined that he would have to spend 17 months in jail over an allegation that reads like a "fictional story". "I would say that when you enter politics and are prepared to fight, you must also be ready to go to jail," he added. Sisodia further stated that the case is merely a product of imagination and holds no substance.

During the interview, Sisodia addressed the allegations surrounding the liquor scam and launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the BJP of misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to weaken Opposition parties, claiming that these actions are part of a broader strategy to stifle political dissent. He further claimed that the BJP is facing a turning point, as the public has started to see through their tactics. Sisodia pointed to the reduced margin of the BJP's support at the Centre as evidence that the party's influence is waning. "The bad days for the BJP have begun," Sisodia remarked, indicating that people are now holding the ruling party accountable.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

Here are top quotes from Manish Sisodia's interview: 

• There was no liquor scam in Delhi, it’s nothing more than a fictional story.
• When the court inquired about the alleged money laundering in the case, the BJP responded that it was based on someone's statement.
• I was asked to give statements against Arvind Kejriwal to get bail.
• I will give all the answers only to the court related to the excise policy case.
• I am proud of my party's workers, volunteers, councillors, MPs, MLAs that they did not break during the tough times.
• The Enforcement Directorate is working as 'Chanda-vasooli agent' for the Bharatiya Janata Party.
• The BJP received a donation of Rs 60 crore through an electoral bond from a liquor trader. Later, they made him give a statement against Arvind Kejriwal.
• When the Chief Minister was in jail, the Delhi government worked properly. I don't think any party has faced such a crisis since independence, where the Chief Minister was imprisoned, and party members were threatened. Despite this, the party and the government functioned excellently.
• Sunita Kejriwal is a fighter. She has put up a brave face even if her husband is in jail. 

Delhi Excise policy case

The matter relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22. It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ALSO READ: 'Delhi excise policy scam is a figment of imagination, there is no case': Manish Sisodia | EXCLUSIVE