‘More Cases as AAP Grows’: Manish Sisodia Reacts to MHA Nod to Prosecute Him in ‘Snooping’ Case

The CBI, which is also investigating a liquor policy case against the Delhi deputy CM, has claimed that Sisodia ran a unit under the Delhi government’s vigilance department which functioned as an ‘extra constitutional, extra judicial intelligence agency.’

New Delhi: Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has called the Union home ministry’s sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation to prosecute him in an alleged snooping case a sign of the Aam Aadmi Party’s growth.

Aam Aadmi Party, in the government in Delhi, and the Bharatiya Janata Party who have the Union government are in a power tussle. This is not the first time that Sisodia has been the target of central agencies. In August 2022, the CBI raided Sisodia’s residence after naming him in an FIR over allegations of corruption in Delhi’s liquor policy.

The CBI’s latest case is that Sisodia who also mans the Delhi government’s vigilance department, allowed a ‘Feedback Unit’ under it to function as an ‘Extra constitutional, extra judicial Intelligence Agency,’ according to The Indian Express.

CBI has claimed that the unit – formed in 2015 – comprised retired Intelligence Bureau and Central Paramilitary Force officials who spied over various ministries, opposition political parties and others. CBI’s claim is also that the unit reported to Delhi chief minister and AAP head Arvind Kejriwal.

In 2016, a complaint was lodged by an officer of the Directorate of Vigilance and CBI began a preliminary inquiry, NDTV reports.

CBI has charged Sisodia under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena first greenlit CBI’s request for prosecution and then forwarded it to the Union home ministry, which granted permission on February 17.

After news broke, Sisodia shared an agency update and wrote in Hindi on Twitter: “Building false cases against your rivals is a sign of a weak and cowardly person. As the Aam Aadmi Party grows, many more cases will be filed against us.”

CBI had summoned Sisodia last Sunday, February 19, for questioning in the liquor policy case. NDTV reports that Sisodia has sought more time, saying that he feared that the CBI would arrest him and derail his government’s budget presentation.