Sisodia's remand ends today, CBI may not seek further custody

Manish Sisodia, former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the excise policy scam, will be produced before the Rouse Avenue District Court after the expiry of his custodial remand on Monday, March 6. Sources have claimed that the CBI may not seek further custodial remand of Sisodia. Sources also said that during the questioning, Sisodia was confronted by his former secretary C. Arvind, former Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi, and a few more witnesses in the case. The CBI sources have claimed that Sisodia was evasive and did not speak.

It was confirmed by CBI sources that in January, the CBI seized a computer from the office of Sisodia. Later, it was learnt files and other data were deleted from the computer. The CBI then sent the computer to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to retrieve the deleted files. Now, the FSL has submitted a report and retrieved the erased files from the computer. A day after his arrest, Sisodia resigned from the post of Deputy CM and Satyendar Jain, who is currently in jail and was at the time the Health Minister to Delhi, also resigned along with him.

The CBI has alleged in the remand paper that Sisodia played a crucial role in the Delhi excise policy scam.

"The report of the expert committee in connection with the excise policy was changed by Sisodia only to benefit a few liquor businessmen. This was done through the accused Vijay Nair, and they collected Rs 100 crore from a South Group, controlled by South India-based liquor businessmen and politicians. A payment of Rs 100 crore was also made through hawala channels, which we have traced. We have learnt that between September and October 2021, Sisodia changed around 14 cell phones and four sim cards. The purpose of changing the cell phones was to destroy the evidence. Devender Sharma, the Secretary of Sisodia, had provided him with all these mobile phones. We have his statement in this respect," said the source from CBI.

The CBI has already filed a charge sheet against seven persons in the case and is also preparing to file a supplementary charge sheet.