New Delhi [India]: War of words has begun between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party over the ED remand of Manish Sisodia as both parties continued to question each other on Friday with the former alleging that the buck of corruption will stop at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the latter questioning the probe agency’s lack of action for months.
The development comes after Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Friday granted Enforcement Directorate Manish Sisodia’s remand till March 17 in the Excise policy case. ED arrested Sisodia yesterday after hours of questioning in the Tihar jail where the AAP leader is lodged.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP intends to keep Manish Sisodia behind bars while stating that the ED was swung into action at a time when Sisodia was about to get bail in the case.
“It is the intention of PM Modi and BJP to keep Manish Sisodia inside the jail. The CBI conducted raids at Sisodia’s residence and other places but did not get anything. The CBI interrogated for 5 days and then again for 2 days, but did not find anything. Then ED was swung into action. The ED was in slumber for 10 months. It suddenly felt that Sisodia will be released, so it arrested him. If the Prime Minister has a pinch of morality, he should come and tell about the crores of rupees that were recovered from his party’s MLA’s son. But the CBI, ED and IT departments do not act. He gets bail. They only intend to defame the AAP.”
Reacting to Sisodia’s remand, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that the AAP is resorting to playing the victim card and demanded answers from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the questions pertaining to the liquor policy.
“What the court says should be accepted. Satyendar Jain has been in jail for 9 months, Sisodia did not get relief from the Supreme Court. Vijay Nair has been kept in jail for 6 months by the court. Arvind Kejriwal still calls such people honest and plays the victimhood card. But he does not answer any questions on the liquor scam. It has become ample clear today that they are kattar beimaan (dishonest),” he said.
The BJP leader asked if the Tihar jail was being used for collecting extortion money.
“Whosoever indulges in corruption will have to suffer the consequences. The question arises today was the Tihar jail which comes under the Delhi government used for extortion money?” he said.
Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva hit out at Kejriwal stating that he will come under the probe at some point in time.
“The probe agencies are doing their job. Many more things will come to the fore when Sisodia will be interrogated. Arvind Kejriwal will surely come under the probe. The countdown of AAP and Kejriwal has begun,” he said.
“Sanjay Singh should be careful while speaking as the witnesses have also named him,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9 arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case, after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in the liquor policy case on February 26 and was sent to 14-day judicial custody on March 6.
The ED also made another arrest in the case earlier, as it took Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai into its custody.
