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New Delhi
Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia resigned from his position on Tuesday following his arrest by the CBI. Sisodia termed the allegations against him 'false' and said it was unfortunate that he was framed despite working honestly for the last eight years.
"It is unfortunate that despite working with honesty and truthfulness continuously for eight years, corruption charges are being levelled against me. I and my God know that all these allegations are false," Sisodia said in his resignation letter to Arvind Kejriwal.
"These allegations are in fact nothing more than a conspiracy of cowardly and weak people who are scared of Arvind Kejriwal's politics of truth. I am not their target, you [Kejriwal] are their target. Because today not only Delhi but the people of the whole country are seeing you as a leader who has a vision for the country and the ability to bring big changes in the lives of the people by implementing it," he added.
Sisodia was arrested on Sunday by the CBI following an intense nine-hour grilling. He was brought to the CBI office for involvement in excise policy of the national capital, which has now been scrapped.
What is the excise policy scam?
The AAP government had brought in the excise policy to revolutionise the sale of liquor in Delhi by bringing in more private players. The rationale given was that the new policy will help generate optimum revenue while eradicating bootlegging and sale of spurious liquor.
However, corruption in the distribution of permits, bribery and fraud in the funneling of tender amounts meant that the initiative collapsed within a year.
It has been alleged that AAP leaders formulated the policy at the peak of pandemic to create illegal channels of funding.
Read more: India: Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia arrested by CBI in liquor policy graft case
The anti-corruption branch of CBI questioned Sisodia over his alleged links with Dinesh Arora and other accused mentioned in the FIR.
(With inputs from agencies)
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