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

New Delhi, March 6: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, who was arrested by the CBI in connection with the excise policy scam, will be produced before Rouse Avenue District Court after the expiry of his custodial remand on Monday.

Sources have claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may not seek his further custodial remand. The sources also said that during the questioning, Sisodia was confronted with 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 not speaking.

The CBI sources said that in January they seized a computer from the office of Sisodia. Later it was learnt that files and other datas were deleted from the computer. The CBI then sent the computer to FSL to retrieve the deleted files. Now the FSL has given them a report and retrieved the whole file deleted from the computer.

A day after his arrest Sisodia resigned from his post. Satyendar Jain, who is currently in jail and was holding the Delhi's Health Minister post 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 excise policy was changed by Sisodia only to benefit a few liquor businessmen. This was also done as through accused Vijay Nair, they had collected Rs 100 crore from a South Group being controlled by South India based liquor businessmen and politicians. They believed that they would be more benefited through the policy. A payment of Rs 100 crore was done through hawala channel, which we have traced.

"We have learnt that between September and October 2021, Sisodia changed around 14 cell phone and four Sim Cards. The purpose of changing the cell phones was nothing but to destroy the evidence. Devender Sharma the secretary of Sisodia had provided all these mobile phones, we have his statement in this respect," said the source.

The CBI has already filed a charge sheet against seven persons in the case, and they are all set to file a supplementary charge sheet.