New Delhi: The CBI Monday produced Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia before a court here and sought his five-day custody in the excise scam case, with the order expected later in the day.
Special judge M K Nagpal reserved his order on the plea after hearing arguments from the CBI and Sisodia’s counsel.
He is likely to pronounce the order later in the day.
The CBI Sunday evening arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.
During the more-than-an-hour-long hearing, Sisodia’s counsel said that it was the lieutenant governor who had approved the changes in the excise policy and that the central probe agency was going after the elected government.
Sisodia claimed that there was no evidence against him and opposed the CBI’s plea for his remand.
“I am the finance minister. I’ve to present the budget…. What changed yesterday that the finance minister was to be placed under custody? Was he not available for next days? Or was this arrest done for ulterior motive? This case is an assault on an individual as well as the institution. Remand will send a message, this is a fit case for declining remand,” Sisodia’s counsel told the court.
He submitted that Sisodia acted as a member of the Delhi government and hence the decision can neither be attributed to him nor questioned.
“I can’t do anything. It has to be approved by appropriate authority,” he said.
The counsel for the probe agency submitted that the arrested minister’s custody was required for effective interrogation in the case.
Sisodia claimed that he had no role in the case but the probe showed he personally took decisions, the CBI submitted.
Sisodia’s counsel, while opposing the probe agency’s plea for custody, submitted that the CBI says he changed his cell phones, but that is not a crime.
The counsel said the policy was implemented after taking suggestions even from the Delhi lieutenant governor and that since it required consultations, there was no chance of conspiracy.
“I have tried to keep everything open,” he said.
Earlier, the CBI brought Sisodia to the Rouse Avenue court amid high security presence.
There was a heavy security presence in and outside the Rouse Avenue Courts premises.
PTI