Manish Sisodia, a prominent member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, has been ordered to be held in judicial custody until March 20th. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
The CBI is investigating allegations that the Delhi government, under the leadership of the AAP, had granted licenses to liquor shops in the national capital in exchange for bribes. Sisodia was called for questioning by the CBI on February 22, 2022, and was subsequently arrested.
Following his arrest, the CBI sought Sisodia's remand in custody for further investigation. However, the investigative counsel stated that the central agency is not seeking any further CBI remand at this stage. This implies that Sisodia will remain in judicial custody until March 20th, after which he will have to seek bail or further custody.
It is worth noting that Sisodia may request further CBI remand within the next 15 days if he wishes to challenge the allegations against him or assist the CBI in their investigation. Nonetheless, the court will evaluate the merits of the request before granting or rejecting it.
This incident has caused a stir in the political landscape of Delhi, with the AAP accusing the central government of pursuing political vendettas and targeting opposition leaders. The BJP, on the other hand, has claimed that the arrest demonstrates the government's commitment to fighting corruption and upholding the rule of law.
In any case, the investigation is still ongoing, and it remains to be seen what further developments will arise in the Delhi excise policy case.
