New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday slammed the Delhi Police for “misbehaving” with former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia at the Rouse Avenue Court here.
“Does the police have the right to misbehave with Manish ji like this? Has the police been asked from above to do this?” Kejriwal asked on Twitter while retweeting a video posted by AAP Minister Atishi.
A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of the jailed AAP leader till June 1 in connection with the excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.
As Delhi cops escorted Sisodia, media persons asked for the AAP leader’s opinion on the ordinance passed by the Centre, overruling a Supreme Court order that allotted the Delhi government powers to transfer bureaucrats.
As Sisodia attempted to answer, the cops dragged him away and snatched phones and recording devices of media persons.
In videos that surfaced on the internet, Sisodia can be heard saying, “Bohot Ahankaar hogaya hai Modiji ko, wo loktantra mei maantey hi nahi hai..bohot ahankaar mei dubb gaye hain Modi ji (He has become very arrogant and is not ready to believe in democracy. He is drowning in his arrogance).”
In her tweet, Atishi had said: “Shocking misbehaviour by this policeman with Manish ji in Rouse Avenue Court. Delhi Police should suspend him immediately.”
In response, Delhi Police rubbished the allegations and claimed it was “propaganda”.
“The allegations of police misbehaviour towards Mr Manish Sisodia during his appearance at the Rouse Avenue Court is propaganda. The police’s response, as seen in the video, was necessary for security reasons. Making statements to the media while in judicial custody is prohibited by law,” the Delhi Police tweeted in Hindi.
Earlier in the day, the Rouse Avenue Court had extended Sisodia’s judicial custody till June 1 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The jail authorities were also directed to consider his request to provide him chair and table for study purposes.
(With inputs from PTI)
