Delhi liquor policy case: Manish Sisodia arrested after hours of questioning by CBI

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested after hours of questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the liquor policy case on Sunday. The Delhi minister has been arrested in connection with the alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.

The CBI questioned the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister in the liquor policy case for nearly eight hours following which he was arrested as his answers were not found satisfactory, officials said.

Earlier today, Sisodia reached CBI headquarters around 11.12 am for the second round of questioning, officials said.

Sisodia was questioned on various aspects of the Excise policy, his alleged link with Dinesh Arora and other accused in the FIR, and details of message exchanges from multiple phones among others, they said.

Officials further reiterated that Sisodia's answers were not found satisfactory and he was also not cooperating in the investigation.

Sisodia was avoiding clarifications on crucial points sought, they said.

Reacting to Sisodia's arrest, AAP MP Sanjay Singh hit out at the Modi government saying, "...Arresting Manish Sisodia is the height



of dictatorship. Modi ji, you have not done good by arresting a good person and the best education minister, even God will not forgive you. One day your dictatorship will definitely end."

"Manish Sisodia is honest man. He has been serving the country. He worked hard for underprivileged students and transformed government schools in Delhi. Today he has been arrested. We are seeing how honest and nationalist people are getting arrested nationwide," said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

"When I left my job as a journalist, my wife supported me. Even today, my family is standing by my side. My workers will take care of my family if I get arrested," Sisodia said earlier in the day while expressing apprehensions about his arrest today. 

Sisodia was accused 'number one' in the CBI FIR in the liquor policy case. 

Meanwhile, a total of 36 persons including Shri Sanjay Singh (MP Rajya Sabha), Gopal Rai (MLA and minister in Delhi govt), Rohit Kumar Mehraulia (MLA, Trilokpuri) and Dinesh Mohnia (MLA Sangam Vihar) have been detained for violating the provisions section 144 CrPC imposed in South District.

They were detained on Sunday afternoon from Lodhi Road while Sisodia was being questioned by the CBI.