The ongoing case regarding the alleged role of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a proxy agency of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took an interesting turn today as the lawyer representing Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, made a startling claim in court.
In accordance with the further developments in the case, Manish Sisodia was unable to respond to the Enforcement Directorate’s inquiry on why he changed so many phones, the agency informed the court on Friday. According to the ED, when Manish Sisodia was brought before the Rouse Avenue Court after his seven-day ED custody in the money laundering case related to the Delhi liquor policy case expired, he was confronted by three people while in their custody, including an IAS officer and the excise commissioner, according to what Livelaw reported.
Manish Sisodia Detained for Alleged Anomalies in Delhi’s Excise Policy
Further information indicates that Manish Sisodia changed his cell phone on July 22 as soon as a complaint about the excise policy matter was received, as per the ED’s statement. Apparently, the agency was unable to determine what he did with the phone.
A 5% commission was indicated in a document from March 2021 that was discovered on Sisodia’s computer, and it was raised to 12% in September 2022. The ED asserts that South Lobby ordered this to be done.
Sisodia’s lawyer opposed the prosecutor, stating, “They have to show the proceeds of the crime and how I am involved in all this. If they investigate for 7 months and then come to court seeking my remand, what have you done?”.
“Are they proxy agency of the CBI?” questioned Manish Sisodia attorney.
It was further stated by the attorney that ED must inform the court of their actions on the proceeds of the crime, not the crime itself because CBI has already completed the necessary steps.
On February 26, the CBI detained Manish Sisodia in connection with the liquor policy case; on March 6, Manish Sisodia was ordered to spend 14 days in judicial detention. He was detained in relation to alleged anomalies in Delhi’s National Capital Territory’s excise policy formulation and execution (GNCTD).
He was sent to judicial detention until March 20 by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court. Earlier in the case, the ED conducted another arrest and detained Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai. The investigation team has also questioned K Kavitha, a BRS Legislator and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, over the liquor policy matter.
The leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), K. Kavitha, has also been called before the ED in this case. Nevertheless, Kavitha opted out of being questioned over the money laundering issue connected to the Delhi Excise Policy matter.
K. Kavitha skipped the second round of ED questions regarding the Delhi Excise Policy case on Thursday. She has now received a new summons from the ED to participate in the inquiry on March 20.
The defendant claimed that the ED had been acting as a “shadow agency” of the CBI and was being used to target political opponents of the ruling party. He alleged that the ED was not acting independently and was being used to further the agenda of the government.
In connection with the same excise policy issue, Manish Sisodia is presently being held by the ED. In Tihar Prison, where he is being held, he was taken into custody by ED while under court supervision.
