In a major development in the ongoing money laundering case related to the excise policy, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia was remanded to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for an additional five days by a city court on Friday. The court said that the physical custody of the accused appeared necessary for further effective interrogation.
According to sources, the case relates to the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the excise policy during Sisodia’s tenure as Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister. The ED had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against him earlier this month.
During the hearing, the court heard arguments from both the ED and Sisodia’s lawyers regarding his custody. In its nine-page order, the court said that the “physical custody of the accused appears to be necessary for his further effective interrogation, in light of the new or fresh incriminating facts or material which has surfaced during this period (of earlier seven-days ED custody) and also to confront him with the fresh physical records and digital data received or expected to be received as well as the… witnesses or persons (cited by ED).”
The court added that it felt it necessary to remand Sisodia to ED custody for a further period of five days, directing the investigating officer of the case to produce him before the court on March 22 at 2 pm.
The case has created a political stir in the national capital, as Sisodia is a senior leader of the AAP, which is currently in power in Delhi. The opposition parties have been demanding a thorough investigation into the matter, alleging that the AAP government was involved in corruption.
This is not the first time that a leader of the AAP has been embroiled in a corruption case. In 2018, former Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash had accused Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of assaulting him during a meeting at Kejriwal’s residence.
The AAP has denied all allegations of corruption and maintained that the investigations are politically motivated. In a statement issued after Sisodia’s arrest, the party said that it had nothing to do with the case and that the law should take its course.
The case against Sisodia comes at a time when the AAP is gearing up for the upcoming Assembly elections in several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The party is hoping to make significant inroads in these states and is seen as a strong contender against the ruling parties.
The arrest of one of its senior leaders is likely to impact the AAP’s prospects in these elections. The party will have to work hard to restore its image and convince the voters that it is still committed to its anti-corruption stance.
The case is also likely to have wider political ramifications, as it could lead to a confrontation between the AAP and the central government. The AAP has been at loggerheads with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre over several issues, including the farmers’ protest and the implementation of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Further questions can be raised pertaining to this decision after the chaos that erupted due to the Delhi budget session yesterday. In the opening of the budget session, the BJP MLAs used the opportunity to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while the ruling AAP legislators protested against the saffron party. As the situation worsened, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had to intervene and order the marshalling of three BJP MLAs, Jitendra Mahajan, Anil Bajpai, and OP Sharma, to restore order to the House.
The stormy start to the budget session did not bode well for the remainder of the proceedings, with tensions between the BJP and AAP only likely to intensify. While the BJP has accused the AAP of corruption in the excise policy, the AAP has defended the policy and accused the BJP of trying to politicise the issue.
The excise policy was launched in 2021 with the aim of providing more transparency in the liquor business in the national capital. However, it faced opposition from various quarters, with traders protesting against the steep licence fee hikes and accusing the government of monopolising the liquor business. The AAP government eventually scrapped the policy and announced a new policy that would be more trader-friendly.
The BJP has accused the AAP government of corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped policy, alleging that the AAP government had favoured some companies in granting licences and that some AAP leaders had received kickbacks from these companies. The AAP has dismissed the BJP’s allegations as baseless and politically motivated, accusing the BJP of trying to distract attention from its failures and of trying to defame the AAP government.
After the stormy start to the assembly and the recent extension of Sisodia’s custody, it remains to be seen whether the two parties will be able to put their differences aside and work together for the benefit of the people of Delhi. However, with the ongoing allegations and counter-allegations, it seems unlikely that any meaningful progress will be made in the near future. The political deadlock in the Delhi Assembly shows no signs of easing, and the people of Delhi are left to bear the brunt of the political infighting.
