Manish Sisodia "Mentally Tortured" In CBI Custody, Alleges AAP

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia is being mentally tortured in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the party has alleged. The CBI officers want him to sign a "false confession", senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh claimed at a press conference today.

"We are going to make a disclosure. For the last six days, Manish Sisodia has been taken on CBI remand. We have got information that Manish Sisodia ji is being mentally tortured so that he would sign a false confession," Mr Singh claimed.

Mr Sisodia, he added, had indicated this yesterday through his lawyer.

"It is unfortunate for a person who worked for poor children, whose work is being praised by the world, if the American President's wife comes to India, she wants to see the schools built by Manish Sisodia -- that Mr Sisodia is being mentally tortured by the CBI. He is being mentally harassed. He is being told that we are giving you all the allegations in writing, you sign it," he alleged. 

The CBI, he said, does "not have evidence of dishonesty of even one rupee -- that's why pressure is being created through torture so that he admits (to the wrongdoings)," he added.

"The CBI has no evidence against Sisodia. They never mentioned any evidence is missing. They raided his residence but found nothing," Mr Singh said.

The CBI's response is awaited. Sources said under the law, statements recorded by the CBI under Section 161 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) are not signed. These statements are also not admissible evidence in court of law. Confessional statements can only be recorded before a Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC.

Mr Sisodia was arrested last Sunday in connection to the alleged liquor scam of Delhi. He has been named as accused number one in the CBI First Information Report and placed in the agency's custody for questioning till March 6.

Appearing in a Delhi court yesterday where his custody was extended by a day, Mr Sisodia told the judge that he was being asked the same questions over and over and that amounts to "mental harassment". He said he was "sitting for eight to nine hours and answering the same questions again and again".

The judge, who in the last hearing asked the CBI not to use the "third degree", told the officials not to repeat the "same questions again and again". "If you have something new, ask him," the judge said.

The CBI has alleged that Mr Sisodia is not cooperating with the investigation and is giving evasive responses.

On February 28, Mr Sisodia – who has denied all wrongdoing -- resigned from the Arvind Kejriwal-led cabinet. At the time, he was handling 18 portfolios, which have since been divided among AAP ministers Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand.

AAP has accused the BJP of attempting to sabotage the Delhi government's work in the health and education sectors through the arrest of Mr Sisodia. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that the alleged irregularities in the excise policy "is an excuse" and if Manish Sisodia joined the BJP, "he would be free by tomorrow".

"Corruption is not the issue. The motive was to stop the good work done by the ministers," Mr Kejriwal had said earlier this week.

Eight opposition parties have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging misuse of central investigation agencies to target them. The Congress is not on the list of signatories.