"Had To Beg To Pay Son's Fees": Manish Sisodia Recounts Time After Arrest

Manish Sisodia, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi's former deputy Chief Minister, said attempts were made to turn him against Chief Minister and party colleague Arvind Kejriwal following his arrest in a corruption case linked to the national capital's now-scrapped liquor policy.

"They tried to break me. I was told that Arvind Kejriwal had framed me. They told the court that Arvind Kejriwal named Manish Sisodia. I was told in the jail, 'name Kejriwal, you will be saved'," Mr Sisodia said at a party event called Janata ki Adalat (people's court).

This comes days after Mr Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister and said he would only return to the post after the people deliver a verdict in his favour in the upcoming Assembly election in Delhi. Mr Sisodia, too, has said that he will take up a role in the Delhi government only after the people's verdict. Mr Kejriwal made the surprise announcement to resign after being granted bail in the Delhi liquor policy case. Senior AAP leader has now been sworn in as Chief Minister.

Earlier, Mr Kejriwal had alleged in the court that the media, citing CBI sources, was reporting that he had put the entire blame on Manish Sisodia. "I have not given any statement that Sisodia is guilty or anyone else is guilty. I have said Sisodia is innocent, AAP is innocent, and I am innocent," he said.

Addressing today's event, Mr Sisodia alleged claimed that he got offers to switch to the BJP. "I was told, 'switch over', ' they will get you killed in jail'. I was told to think about myself, and that no one thinks about anyone in politics. I was told to think about my family, my ailing wife, and my son who is in college. I told them that you are trying to separate Laxman from Ram. No Raavan in the world has the power to do that. For 26 years, Arvind Kejriwal has been my brother and political mentor," he said.

The AAP leader alleged that he and his party colleagues were arrested for breaking AAP. "They could neither break us from within nor break up the party."

Recounting the financial difficulties he faced after his address, Mr Sisodia said, "In 2002, when I was a journalist, I bought a flat worth Rs 5 lakh, it was taken away. I had Rs 10 lakh in my account, that was taken away too. I had to beg for help to pay my son's fees. I had told tell them that I have to pay my son's fees and ED has frozen by bank account."

Mr Sisodia was in jail for nearly one-and-a-half years before he was granted bail last month. During this time, he resigned as Delhi's deputy chief minister and gave up several other portfolios he held.

At the AAP gathering in Jantar Mantar today, Mr Sisodia said he knows that people are somewhat upset because Mr Kejriwal is no longer the Chief Minister. "It is a matter of three or four months, he will be Chief Minister again."