"Event Management Can't Save AAP From Law": BJP After Manish Sisodia Arrest

The BJP has hit out at the Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party over its claims that the Central Bureau of Investigation is being misused by the Centre, following the arrest of Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. "Event management can't save AAP from the law," said the BJP's Sambit Patra, questioning why AAP chose to withdraw the controversial liquor policy when his party questioned it.

AAP has claimed that the arrest of Mr Sisodia this evening in connection with the now-withdrawn liquor policy, is the BJP's political retaliation over its failure to get Delhi's mandate.

"Manish Sisodia, other AAP leaders never explained why they withdrew the excise policy after corruption was flagged... Delhi excise policy was leaked to liquor-contractor 'friends' by AAP before it was sent to the Group of Ministers," Mr Patra told reporters at a press conference this evening. "AAP spread liquor culture in Delhi and lost liquor money in election campaign," he added.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, the BJP's Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "He may have done work on education. But that doesn't mean he should indulge in corruption in liquor policy".

The reference was to Mr Sisodia's education and finance portfolios, two areas that AAP cites as reason for its huge popularity. AAP has won two sweeping victories in Delhi in face of BJP challenge and had a landslide victory in neighbouring Punjab last year.  

"Black day for democracy! BJP's CBI arrested the world's best education minister Manish Sisodia in a fake case, who is shaping the future of lakhs of children. The BJP has made this arrest due to political rivalry," read a rough translation of AAP's Hindi tweet after the arrest. The party has dubbed it an attack on governance in Delhi and Arvind Kejriwal.

Mr Patra alleged that Mr Sisodia must be the only education minister in the world who is involved in a liquor scam. "Manish Sisodia, you played with the future of children," he added.

Mr Sisodia and others face corruption allegations in connection with a new liquor sale policy in 2021. The CBI contends that liquor companies were involved in framing of the policy, for which kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore were paid by a liquor lobby it dubbed the "South Group".

The policy would have led to a 12 per cent profit for them, of which 6 per cent was routed to public servants through middlemen, the agency claimed.

The Enforcement Directorate has also launched an investigation, alleging laundering of the kickbacks.

After the policy was scrapped, the BJP said the Delhi government went back to the old liquor sale policy to cover up the corruption.

Mr Sisodia was asked to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation last Sunday for questioning, but he sought more time, citing the pending Delhi budget. Earlier, he had faced a nine-hour questioning session by the Enforcement Directorate officials, after which he claimed the officials had asked him to quit AAP.