Most CBI officers were not in favour of arresting Manish Sisodia, claims Arvind Kejriwal

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Sisodia late on Sunday in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday made sensational claim that "most CBI officers" were against arresting his deputy Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy probe, and were forced to do so, without evidence, because of "political pressure".

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal posted, "I am told that most CBI officers were against Manish's arrest. All of them have huge respect for him and there is no evidence against him. But the political pressure to arrest him was so high that they had to obey their political masters."

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Sisodia late on Sunday in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy.

The officials of the Anti-Corruption Branch of the CBI grilled the minister on various aspects of the Excise policy, his alleged link with Dinesh Arora and other accused in the FIR, and details of message exchanges from multiple phones among others.

The CBI investigators were not satisfied with the responses provided by Sisodia. It was claimed that he was not cooperating in the investigation and avoiding clarifications sought by officials on crucial points, leading to his arrest, they said. The probe agency officials said it was felt that custodial interrogation was necessary to put Sisodia through intense questioning, they said.

Sisodia was arrested under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 477 A (intent to defraud) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Delhi deputy CM's arrest could lead to a crisis in the Delhi government as he handled 18 of the total 33 departments. He looked after departments such as health, education, public works department (PWD), services, finance, power, home, and urban development.

He is also in charge of all other departments not specifically allotted to any minister. Apart from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi government has six cabinet ministers, including jailed Satyendar Jain who is still a minister without a portfolio.