Liquor Policy Case: Arrested AAP Ministers Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain Quit Delhi Cabinet
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is currently in five-day CBI custody in connection with the excise policy case, resigned on Tuesday. His cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain, who has been in jail for less than a year following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, also resigned.
The resignations were not an acceptance of guilt in any way, AAP asserted, describing it as an "administrative step". No new ministers will join the cabinet, party sources said. The vacant?departments will be assigned to Kailash Gahlot and Raj Kumar Anand.
Manish Sisodia heads 18 of 33 deparments
In his resignation letter, Sisodia, who is widely seen as Kejriwal's number two in the party, said he has served Delhi for eight years with full dedication and wants to step away till charges are proven false. "There are likely to be more cases against me... God knows these allegations are false."
Sisodia was arrested on Sunday over allegations of corruption in the Delhi liquor policy case. Before his arrest, he predicted he would be in jail for "7-8 months".
Sisodia, who currently heads 18 of 33 departments in the national capital, was arrested on Sunday following an eight-hour grilling by the Central Bureau of Investigation. He had moved the Supreme Court today for bail, which asked him to approach the Delhi high court first. The AAP has now decided to move high court.
Satyendar Jain held over allegations of money laundering
When Satyendar Jain was arrested in May over allegations of money laundering, Kejriwal simply transferred his departments to Sisodia. Jain held on to his job despite being in jail.
Kejriwal may be forced to cut back on his trips to other states and take charge of some ministries. It is a massive setback for AAP as it preps for the 2024 national election. The Chief Minister had reportedly planned to visit states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where elections will be held later this year.
As for Delhi, it will need a Finance Minister to present the budget.
Before the duo's resignation, the Delhi government had a total of six ministers, with Sisodia handling 18 portfolios. Gopal Rai, Kailash Gahlot, Imran Hussain and Raj Kumar Anand are the other ministers.
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