ED arrests Sisodia for 'money laundering', a day before bail hearing

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Manish Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party member, on charges of money laundering related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy.

The 51-year-old was placed under arrest on Thursday (March 9) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act following his second round of questioning at the Tihar jail, PTI has reported.

Also Read: Excise policy case: Manish Sisodia sent to judicial custody till March 20

The agency alleged Sisodia was “evasive” in his replies and was “not cooperating in the probe.”

Sisodia is currently lodged in judicial custody after the CBI arrested him on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor or excise policy for 2021-22.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responded to the arrest of Manish Sisodia by claiming that the CBI had already arrested him and found no evidence, and that the ED’s only goal was to keep him detained at any cost.

मनीष सिसोदिया ने जेल से देश के नाम पत्र लिखा-

बीजेपी लोगों को जेल में डालने की राजनीति करती है, हम बच्चों को पढ़ाने की राजनीति कर रहे हैं। जेल भेजना आसान है, बच्चों को पढ़ाना बहुत मुश्किल। राष्ट्र शिक्षा से आगे बढ़ेगा, जेल भेजने से नहीं। pic.twitter.com/qVwOCrVLDR

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2023

Sisodia, who had been jailed earlier in the week, released a statement titled ‘Education, Politics, and Jail’, in which he argued that it was easier for political opponents to be imprisoned than to provide quality education to children. He expressed hope that education-focused politics would ultimately prevail over jail-based politics.

Also Read: Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain quit as Delhi ministers

The first round of Sisodia’s questioning by the ED took place on March 7.

(With agency inputs)