Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, attacked the BJP-led central government on Wednesday over the arrests of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, saying that if Manish Sisodia joined the BJP today, he would be released tomorrow.
Kejriwal said, “Two people who brought laurels to India have been jailed by the PM. The excise policy was just an excuse, there was no scam. PM wanted to stop good work in Delhi. Manish Sisodia was arrested as he did good work in education. Satyendar Jain was arrested as he did good work in health.”
“If Manish Sisodia joins BJP today, won’t he be released tomorrow? All cases will be withdrawn. If Satyendar Jain joins BJP today, all cases will be withdrawn and he’d be released from jail tomorrow. The issue isn’t corruption but stopping work and sending CBI-ED after the opposition,” he added.
Following the resignations of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has forwarded the names of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for elevation as ministers, sources said on Wednesday.
The news comes after Sisodia, who oversaw 18 departments, and Jain, who has been imprisoned for months in a money laundering case, resigned as ministers. According to sources, Sisodia’s departments will be redistributed to senior AAP leaders Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand.
“Sisodia held 18 departments, some of which will now be handled by Kailash Gahlot and the rest by Raaj Kumar Anand,” a source said on Tuesday. The CBI had previously arrested Sisodia in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
Sisodia was arrested on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s new excise policy. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court denied Sisodia’s petition to vacate his arrest in the excise policy case.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud stated that the Supreme Court is unlikely to hear the petition at this time, recommending that Sisodia file a petition in the Delhi High Court.
“We cannot interfere in the matter as it may open the gate of people approaching the top court in every such matter,” the bench observed.
On Monday, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi sentenced him to 5 days in CBI custody. The CBI also questioned AAP leader Jain in Tihar Jail about alleged corruption in the implementation of the now-cancelled Delhi Excise policy.
Jain is currently lodged in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The CBI and ED recently arrested several people for alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy.
