The lawyer for Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia has slammed the Enforcement Directorate for treating arrest as a right without following due process. The central agency today sought 10-day custody of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister from a special court to question him about alleged money laundering while developing a new liquor policy for the city, which was later scrapped.
Mr Sisodia was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) yesterday, a day before his bail request in his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was to be heard in the special court.
“Arrests are now considered a right by law enforcement agencies. It’s past time for the courts to crack down on this sense of entitlement “Dayan Krishna, Mr Sisodia’s lawyer, stated in the special court today.
“The CBI is looking into a predicate offence. What the ED said today is the CBI’s case… The ED cannot begin an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act without the proceeds of the alleged crime “Mr Krishna stated.
The lawyer for the AAP leader pointed out that the Delhi liquor policy file was also sent to the Lieutenant Governor, who approved it as well. “We hope the ED interrogates the Lieutenant Governor,” he said.
In response, the ED stated that it needs Mr Sisodia’s custody for 10 days to follow the money trail in the Delhi spirits policy case. According to the ED, the proceeds of the crime are worth at least Rs. 292 crore.
“We’ve called in the cops. We want to confront them while Sisodia is still in custody “According to the ED’s lawyer.
The investigation is centred on an alleged network of middlemen, businessmen, and politicians known as the “South Group” by the central agencies. “The (Delhi spirits) policy was changed to benefit southern companies. Mr Sisodia diluted the policy without consulting anyone “The ED stated.
K Kavitha, leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, a key opposition leader in the centre, is one of the “South Group” people on the radar. She has agreed to appear in court on March 11 for questioning.
Ms Kavitha allegedly benefited from kickbacks in the Delhi spirits policy, according to the ED. The leader of the BRS has denied the allegations and accused the centre of misusing investigation agencies for political purposes.
Mr Sisodia and the others are accused of facilitating liquor cartelization and favouring certain dealers. The AAP has denied accepting bribes from anyone, including traders and politicians.
According to the BJP, the AAP would not have withdrawn the spirits policy if it was certain it had done nothing wrong.
