Guwahati: A Delhi court ordered Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to remain in CBI custody till March 4 in the case involving the Delhi excise policy.
The CBI requested five days of custody, which Special CBI Judge MK Nagpal granted in order to question Sisodia.
Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan who is representing Sisodia said that he has been cooperating with the agency in probe. “Someone is not willing to say something you want to hear is no ground for remand,” he said before the judge.
Krishnan further argued that remands aren’t only formalities and that the court should use its judgement to determine if the central agency has actually carried out its obligations under Sections 41 and 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur, who is also appearing for Sisodia said, “There were suggestions given by LG. Those were incorporated in policy before it came into force. It required discussions and deliberations. When there are discussions and deliberations, there is no room for conspiracy.”
Another Senior Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, who also represented Sisodia, questioned the timing of the arrest and said the minister has to present the budget. He said, “This case is assault to an individual as well as the institution. Remand will send a message … this is a fit case for declining remand.”
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested on Sunday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following eight hours of questioning on his alleged involvement in the liquor policy scandal.
Before leaving for the CBI office, Manish Sisodia told supporters, “Even if I am in jail for seven to eight months, don’t feel sorry for me, be proud. PM Modi is afraid of Arvind Kejriwal, so he wants to frame me in a fake case. You should fight on. My wife, who has stood by me from Day 1, is unwell and alone at home. Take care of her. And I want to tell children of Delhi, Study hard and listen to your parents.”