Today, following a nine-hour grilling session by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, made a shocking revelation. Mr. Sisodia told reporters that the authorities had intended to interview him about the contentious liquor policy that the Delhi government has implemented, but instead they urged him to resign from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party. They even allegedly threatened that his case could go the same way as the case of Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, who has been imprisoned since May after being charged in a money laundering case, according to the allegations that he made. According to what he described the officials as saying, “They will make you Chief Minister.” The agency responded quickly with a rejection of the request.
A statement that was released not long after Mr. Sisodia’s allegations made headlines read, “CBI strongly refutes these allegations and reiterates that examination of Shri Sisodia was carried out in a professional and legal manner strictly as per the allegations against him in the FIR. The investigation of the case will continue as per law.”
Mr. Sisodia responded to the CBI’s statement by stating, “If the officers of the CBI issued a press release saying that ‘Operation Lotus’ was done, then people would be surprised. Their focus was not on the excise policy…completely concocted stories.” Mr. Sisodia was responding to the CBI’s statement.
After Mr. Sisodia returned home following the marathon questioning session that had begun at noon, he addressed the media and stated, “There was conversation about excise policy but I was pressed to give in. ‘These cases will go on like this. They will make you Chief Minister,’ they said.”
He shared with them his sentiment, “I told them that I find joy when a rickshaw puller’s son attends the IIT.” “Today I realized that the CBI is not investigating any scam… the case against me is only meant to make Operation Lotus a success,” he added. “The case against me is just meant to make Operation Lotus a success.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempted to carry out “Operation Lotus” in Delhi and Punjab. This involves overthrowing an opposition government by recruiting members of that government’s legislature. The party had even proposed a motion in opposition to it in the assembly of Delhi’s government the previous month.
According to many sources, Mr. Sisodia was questioned over the purported participation of liquor businesses in the formulation of the liquor policy. The agency also had questions regarding charges that the liquor companies generated a profit of 12% during the process, of which 6% was allegedly distributed to public personnel via middlemen like as the businessman Abhishek Bonipally, who is headquartered in Hyderabad.
The other major issues that were brought up were the alleged loss that occurred to the state during the process, as well as the irregularities that occurred during the establishing of the policy, such as cabinet clearance for the new rules occurring after they had already been implemented.
The fact that Mr. Sisodia has not been called in for a second session by the agency is a source of some relief for the AAP, which had been preparing itself for his detention.
After receiving permission to conduct an investigation from Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted repeated searches at the residence of Mr. Sisodia in the month of August. The Deputy Chief Minister is the primary accused in the case, which allegedly involves private players giving bribes to political figures in exchange for liquor shop licenses. The bribes were given by business players.
The AAP has asserted that Mr. Sisodia will be taken into custody soon as a result of the “political vendetta” being carried out by the BJP.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made the accusation that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “scared” about the outcome of the Gujarat assembly election and wants to prevent key leaders from campaigning in the state.
Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the party as well as the Chief Minister, has asserted that the BJP intends to keep Mr. Sisodia incarcerated until after the elections in Gujarat. However, his deputy can escape from any prison, he noted. In a tweet written in Hindi, he said that the prison locks will be broken and that Manish Sisodia would be released.
After holding a big demonstration earlier today against the questioning of Manish Sisodia, several leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh, were taken into custody. From outside the CBI office, around one hundred leaders and personnel were taken into custody.
