New Delhi: Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court till March 17. This was after the ED sought 10-day custody of Sisodia on Friday. The ED informed the court that SIM cards and mobile phones were purchased by Sisodia using other people's identities.
The 10-day custody would be needed to identify the modus operandi and to confront other persons who have been summoned, the ED reasoned in the Special Court adding that Sisodia's answers are in contrary to the statements given by others questioned in the case.
The ED informed the court that there was a conspiracy behind framing the excise policy, coordinated by Vijay Nair, along with others. It also alleged that the Excise policy was brought out so that wholesale retailers can reap extraordinary profit margins. The ED said that the margin of 12 percent of wholesale profit margin to private entities was never discussed in the GoM meeting.
The ED also apprised the Delhi court about the meeting between Vijay Nair and Telangana Chief Minister KCR's daughter K Kavitha. The ED stated that the accused Butchibabu Gorantla disclosed during questioning that there was a political understanding between then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and K Kavitha who also met Vijay Nair. Butchibabu is the former auditor of K Kavitha and is presently on bail.
On the other hand, Sisodia's lawyer opposed ED's plea saying that it is the job of the executive to make policy which goes through several layers. The policy must have been examined by the executive since it was accepted by the Delhi LG and others, Sisodia's counsel argued. "How can ED look into policy making in money-laundering case," he asked.
Also read: ED to seek Manish's custody in Delhi court today
The ED has not found a single penny related to Sisodia, Manish Sisodia's counsel said adding that the probe agency has registered the case entirely based on hearsay. Terming the PMLA 'draconian', he further added that the AAP second-in-command was arrested just to be kept in jail. "The time has come for courts to come down heavily on such arrests," he said.
Earlier on Thursday the anti-money laundering agency arrested Sisodia in a case linked to the Delhi Excise Policy. This makes matters complicated for Sisodia whose CBI bail plea was scheduled to be heard on Friday. The AAP 2nd-in-command was arrested by the CBI on February 26.
Sisodia also penned an open letter on 'Politics of Education' vs 'Politics of Jail' on Thursday evening alleging that the saffron party's problem with 'politics of education' is that it "builds nations, not leaders." Sisodia wrote, "It is much easier to throw political opponents in jail than giving quality education to children. BJP's real problem with politics of education is that it builds nations, not leaders."
The ED had started questioning Sisodia in Tihar jail from Tuesday after he was sent to judicial custody by the Special Court on Monday. The Supreme Court had earlier refused to hear his plea asking him to approach other remedial courses of justice.
The Kejriwal government's new liquor policy which has now been scrapped granted licences to liquor traders in order to promote privatization in the liquor trade. The CBI alleged that this in turn promoted cartelisation. Some dealers who were favoured by the Delhi government were paid bribes for it, the probe agency suggested. The policy which came under heavy political scrutiny was taken back by the Delhi Lt Governor who also ordered a CBI probe into the matter. The ED is probing the money trail in the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
