"If You're So Fond Of Court...": BJP On AAP's Liquor Policy "Revelation"

Soon after the Aam Aadmi Party's "big revelation" from a court order on the alleged liquor policy scam in Delhi, claiming there was no scam, the Bharatiya Janata Party taunted the ruling party with what a judge had earlier said about the former Delhi minister Manish Sisodia while denying him bail in the case.

"If you are so fond of reading the court's references, and have the habit of giving yourself certificates of honesty, then read what the court said about @msisodia and tell it to the public," BJP Delhi Spokesperson Harish Khurana tweeted in Hindi, along with a video of him reading Delhi's Rouse Avenue court's observation about the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, who is a prime accused in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.

Mr Sisodia had "played the most important and vital role" in the criminal conspiracy and "had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure achievement of objectives of the said (criminal) conspiracy", the court had said last month, adding that "..as per allegations made by the prosecution and the evidence collected in support thereof so far" Mr Sisodia "can prima facie be held to be the architect of the said criminal conspiracy". 

Harish Khurana said if Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal believes in the court, "he's tongue-tied after the court order".

"If they'll convict or acquit, that the court itself will say. Stop giving yourself certificates of honesty," Mr Khurana said, calling Mr Kejriwal the "real kingpin" who will "soon be in jail".

Earlier today, Delhi Education Minister and senior AAP leader Atishi had said a court order from yesterday observed there was no evidence of Rs 100 crore in kickbacks, which the BJP has alleged, or even the Rs 30 crore supposedly routed to Goa by AAP for Assembly elections that the Enforcement Directorate mentioned in its chargesheet, adding that the CBI and ED have no new evidence in the case. The probe agencies should apologise, she said.

"For the last 6 months, ED and CBI officials are sitting in Goa and have interrogated and raided all the vendors. Even after six months of raids, those who had alleged a bribe of Rs 100 crore have said in front of the court that the Aam Aadmi Party spent Rs 19 lakh rupees in cash in the Goa elections. ED has proved that Aam Aadmi Party is the most honest party in the country. The Aam Aadmi Party contested the elections in Goa and spent only Rs 19 lakh in cash and the rest in cheques," Atishi said.

Earlier this month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a supplementary chargesheet apprised the Delhi Court that proceeds of a crime worth Rs 622 crore were generated due to the activities of the accused as Excise Minister.

Manish Sisodia's bail is listed in the high court on May 11.

Mr Sisodia was arrested by the ED in this case on March 9 after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail. Earlier, he was arrested by the CBI on February 26. He is the 29th accused arrested in this case.

The CBI has already filed the charge sheet in the matter.