New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was on Monday granted 5-day custody of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy scam case.
Sisodia, who was arrested by CBI on Sunday evening after 8 hours of questioning, will be in the central agency’s custody till March 4.
Sisodia was taken to the Rouse Avenue court just after 3 pm and produced before a special CBI judge, Justice MK Nagpal.
The CBI told the court that they were seeking 5-day custody of Sisodia for “proper investigation” as the deputy CM did not answer properly during questioning.
Alleging a scam in the implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-2022, CBI claimed that the margin was enhanced and eligibility criteria altered.
Sisodia’s counsel, senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, opposed the remand application, saying, “If someone is not willing to say something you want to hear is no ground for arrest.”
He further told the court: “This case is an assault on the individual and the institution. Remand will send a wrong message.”
But that ultimately didn’t cut much ice on the judge, and he ordered Sisodia to be sent to five days of custody, even as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and workers continued to protest near the BJP offices amid tight security.
