Kejriwal must answer why Sisodia's bail pleas are getting rejected: BJP

The BJP on Wednesday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should answer as to why his former deputy Manish Sisodia's bail applications in the excise policy case have been repeatedly rejected by courts.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied bail to Sisodia in the excise policy case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying being a former deputy chief minister and excise minister, he was a "high-profile" person and has the potential to influence witnesses.

"Kejriwal should answer as to why Sisodia's bail is being rejected again and again. The fact that hawala money went to Goa has also been stated in the CBI charge sheet. Why is the party (AAP), which claims to be hardcore honest, silent on this revelation," Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva asked at a press conference.

According to the CBI charge sheet, there is evidence that the liquor mafia gave Rs 2.2 crore to Sisodia and that money was sent to Goa through hawala. Delhiites want to know what Kejriwal has to say about this, the BJP leader said.

The courts have refused bail to Sisodia on the basis of charge sheets filed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED is conducting a money laundering probe in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

The Delhi government withdrew the excise policy last year after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation.

Kejriwal is "morally responsible" for the "scam", Sachdeva said.

He further said that AAP MP Sanjay Singh, whose name was mentioned in the ED charge sheet, has been calling himself innocent.

However, contrary to his claims, he knows knows very well that like Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, there is strong evidence against him too and he will not get bail if he is arrested, Sachdeva said.

"So, Singh is deliberately making statements before the media that his name is not in the charge sheet," he said.