‘Blatant misuse of central agencies’: KCR, 8 leaders of Opposition parties to PM Modi on Sisodia arrest

Highlighting Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s arrest by the CBI in connection with the irregularities in Delhi Liquor Policy, the leaders said the charges against the AAP leader were “outrightly baseless and smack of a political conspiracy”.

Major opposition parties have written a joint letter to PM @narendramodi alleging that the 'BJP is misusing Central Agencies’. pic.twitter.com/NRvkycioyf

— BRS Party (@BRSparty) March 5, 2023

His arrest enraged people across the country.

Sisodia is recognised globally for transforming Delhi’s school education. His arrest would be cited worldwide as an example of a political witch-hunt and further confirm what the world was only suspecting — that India’s democratic values stand threatened under an authoritarian BJP regime, alleged the Opposition leaders.

Also read: KCR may well see an opportunity in the raids on his ministers

‘Name one BJP leader who was arrested’

Citing Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former TMC leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy as examples, the leaders claimed that the investigation agencies go slow on cases against Opposition politicians who joined the BJP.

“Since 2014, there has been a marked rise in the number of raids conducted, cases lodged against, and arrests of the Opposition leaders. Be it Lalu Prasad Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), Azam Khan (Samajwadi Party), Nawab Malik, Anil Deshmukh (NCP), or Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), central agencies have often sparked suspicion that they were working as extended wings of the Centre,” said the leaders.

It is clear that the agencies have their priorities misplaced, they said.

Following the publication of an international forensic financial research report, SBI and LIC have reportedly lost over ₹78,000 crore of their market capital due to exposure to a certain firm, they alleged, alluding to the Adani controversy.

Pointing to the Governors of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, and the Lt Governor of Delhi, the leaders accused the offices of these Governors of acting in violation of their constitutional provisions and frequently hindering the governance of the state.

“They are not just Opposition leaders. They are the chief ministers of four states. One is the deputy chief minister and one is the Opposition leader of Uttar Pradesh. Leaders from their parties were arrested before any court gave judgment; they were summoned,” BRS spokesperson Krishank Mane told South First.

He asked how, out of the numerous cases across India, only one BJP leader was arrested by these central agencies.

The investigations stopped against the leaders who had several charges against them but joined BJP.

“Meanwhile, other leaders were arrested, sent to jail, or are being targeted with vicious propaganda that they will be arrested soon,” said Krishank, referring to BJP leaders claiming that the authorities would soon come for BRS MLC K Kavitha, who happens to be KCR’s daughter.

“Name one BJP leader who was arrested or someone who joined the BJP and was arrested. In a recent case, the BJP MLA’s son who was caught taking bribes was not arrested,” pointed out Krishank.

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‘Vindictive’, says BRS

Earlier, BRS working president and IT Minister KT Rama Rao — KCR’s son and Kavitha’s brother — described Sisodia’s arrest as undemocratic and vindictive.

“This is political witch-hunting of the Opposition parties. The BJP is using the investigation agencies to further its political interests,” he said in a statement.

According to the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, the Delhi liquor scam was orchestrated by a “South Group” that comprised, among others, Kavitha, who was also questioned by the CBI in December last year.

KTR said that the BJP was using strong-arm methods against the parties which did not kowtow its line. He recalled how the BJP tried to spirit away four BRS MLAs and how its attempts were foiled.

“The people saw, with the evidence on their television screens, how the BJP tried to engineer defections,” he said.

Meanwhile, A Delhi court on Saturday extended Sisodia’s CBI custody by two days. The court also directed the CBI to produce him again on Monday.

The CBI initially sought three more days of custody after producing him before the court.

After the order was pronounced, Sisodia told the court that although the CBI was treating him well in custody, repeated questions were causing “mental harassment”.

The court, meanwhile, issued notice to the CBI on Sisodia’s bail plea and directed it to file a reply by 10 March, when it is expected to hear the arguments on the application.

Also read: ‘Absconding’ during raids, history-sheeter on stage with BJP leaders

The ‘South Group’ connection

In the ongoing investigation into the Delhi liquor scam, the CBI late on 7 February arrested Hyderabad-based chartered accountant (CA) Butchibabu Gorantla, said to be an associate of BRS MLC K Kavitha, officials announced on Wednesday.

Butchibabu, who had been summoned to Delhi for questioning, was arrested for his alleged role in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy that is said to have benefitted Hyderabad-based wholesale and retail licensees and their beneficial owners under the policy for 2021-22.

Butchibabu earlier worked as the CA of Kavitha, whose name was figured in the case, and who was questioned by the CBI in December 2022.

The CBI officials also grilled k Kavitha for more than seven and a half hours on 12 December.

(With PTI inputs)