Ghaziabad: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia outside the Vasundhara branch of Punjab National Bank amid a search of his bank locker by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials in connection with alleged irregularities in Delhi Excise Policy, in Ghaziabad, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said that the CBI found nothing during its search of his locker. A four-member team of the CBI conducted the search at a Punjab National Bank branch in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, for nearly two hours. Sisodia and his wife wre present at the time.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Assembly session resumed on a stormy note Tuesday, amid sloganeering by AAP and BJP MLAs, who trooped into the well of the House. The proceedings were adjourned twice as leaders of the two parties continued to trade charges.
For the second consecutive day, AAP MLAs demanded an independent probe into a six-year-old case against Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, while BJP leaders demanded the resignation of ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over alleged corruption charges.
On Monday, both parties camped overnight at the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, accusing each other of corruption.
Manish Sisodia’s bank locker searched by CBI officials
Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s bank locker in Ghaziabad was searched by CBI officials on Tuesday. A team of about five Central Bureau of Investigation officials reached the PNB branch at Sector 4 Vasundhara in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of the national capital, to execute the search. Sisodia was at the bank with his wife.
#WATCH | Delhi Deputy CM & AAP leader Manish Sisodia’s bank locker located at Punjab National Bank in Vasundhara, Sector-4, Ghaziabad, UP being investigated by CBI, in connection with Delhi excise policy case pic.twitter.com/toMNhW494d
— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2022
The AAP leader is among the people and entities being investigation for alleged irregularities in the implementation of Delhi government’s Excise Policy 2021-22.
BJP: ‘Sharab’, ‘shiksha’ scams twin towers of corruption in Delhi govt
Launching a fresh attach against the AAP government in Delhi, the BJP accused Sisodia of building the “twin towers of corruption” in the national capital, referring to the alleged liquor and education scams.
BJP leaders also alleged the Delhi government escalated the cost of building classrooms multiple times, and projected several schools toilets as classrooms to justify the “bloated” costs.
During a press conference, BJP spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla claimed the AAP was following a “reverse Robinhood” model, wherein money meant for the poor was taken away to fill the coffers of the liquor mafia.
After overnight protests by MLAs, Delhi Assembly Secretariat bans entry of MPs in premises
Following the overnight protests at the Assembly premises by MLAs of the ruling AAP and opposition BJP, the Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday issued an order banning the entry of MPs and political party leaders in its premises.
“The deputy speaker has observed that as members from the ruling and opposition parties are staging protests inside the Assembly complex, security arrangements should be tightened in and around the Assembly complex to ensure no untoward incidents take place,” the order read.
However, despite the order, BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri arrived at the Assembly on Tuesday morning and insisted that all his party MPs will participate in Tuesday’s session. He was stopped at the gate.
BJP leaders to launch protest march from Kejriwal’s house to Rajghat today
Several BJP leaders, led by MP Ramesh Bidhuri, will protest against the liquor policy outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in the national capital. From there, they will proceed to Rajghat. They will raise their demand for the resignation of Sisodia.
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(With PTI inputs)