Govt misusing agencies as weapon to target Opposition leaders: CPI(M) leader on Manish Sisodia's arrest

Communist Party of India (Marxist) senior leader Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Monday slammed the Centre for arresting Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy scam case and said that the government is misusing the agencies as a 'Trishul' to target Opposition-ruled states and leaders.

Speaking to ANI, Brinda Karat said, "We strongly condemn Manish Sisodia's arrest. If the BJP can't defeat politically on the basis of votes, then CBI, ED and IT are used as a Trishul to target the Opposition leaders or where the opposition government is running."

Brinda Karat further said that Sisodia's arrest was a part of BJP's "national policy" of targeting the Opposition leaders using the probe agencies.

"Manish Sisodia was arrested because it is the BJP's national policy, if you can't do anything, then you are targeting the opposition leaders and the governments that are running under the leadership of the Opposition," she said.

Meanwhile, the CBI on Sunday released a statement on Sisodia's arrests, claiming he was giving evasive replies and wasn't cooperating in the ongoing investigation in the liquor scam case.

The agency further said Sisodia had been summoned earlier on February 19 in connection with the ongoing probe, but had sought a week's time citing the Delhi Budget.

"The Deputy CM was issued a notice under section 41A of CrPC for attending the investigation on February 19, 2023. However, he sought time of one week citing his preoccupation," the CBI stated.

Accepting his request, he was issued a notice -- u/s 41A CrPC -- to report to the agency on February 26 and answer questions he 'evaded' during his examination on October 17, 2022, and further questions relating to his 'incriminating role' based on evidence collected during the investigation of the case.

"However, he gave evasive replies and did not co-operate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary. Therefore, he has been arrested," the statement read.

"The arrested accused will be produced before the designated court in Delhi," it added further.

Meanwhile, in a stunning claim in connection with the arrest of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that most CBI officers were "against" the former's arrest due to lack of evidence, but were compelled to do so owing to the "pressure" borne on them by their "political masters".

His remark comes a day after Sisodia was arrested by the premier central probe agency in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam case.

Sisodia, who also handles the Finance portfolio, was arrested after eight hours of questioning.

"I am told that most CBI officers were against Manish's arrest. All of them have huge respect for him and there is no evidence against him. But the political pressure to arrest him was so high that they had to obey their political masters," Kejriwal tweeted.

( With inputs from ANI )

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