Sisodia confesses to destroying two mobile phones: Sources
Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 May, 2023 11:36 AM
New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has reportedly confessed to destroying two mobile phones which were sought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case.
On July 22, 2022, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed the CBI to initiate a case in the excise scam. Sources claim that from that day onwards, Sisodia started using a new mobile phone.
While probing the matter, the CBI learnt that Sisodia had been using three different mobile phones between January 1, 2020 and August 19, 2022.
On August 19, 2022, the probe agency conducted search operation and sezied one phone from Sisodia's possession.
"We later discovered that the mobile phone seized from Sisodia's possession had been used by him from July 22, 2022. This was the date when we were instructed by the MHA to initiate the case in the excise matter," a source said.
During the interrogation, Sisodia reportedly confessed to the probe agency that he had destroyed two mobile phones. "Prior to this, I was using two cell phones which have been destroyed," a source quoted Sisodia as saying.
The source stated that a Section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.PC) notice was also served to Sisodia regarding the two mobile phones, and in response, he admitted to the same fact.
"This willful disposal of handsets containing incriminating evidence related to the policy is another incriminating circumstance against Sisodia," the source said, quoting the charge sheet.
Sisodia is currently in custody, and his several bail pleas have been dismissed by the court.
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This is the first time that the ED has named Sisodia in its charge sheet in the matter. Earlier, the CBI, which is conducting a parallel probe into the excise policy case, had named Sisodia in its supplementary charge sheet.
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Sisodia has sought for interim bail on the ground of illness of his wife. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, while listing the plea for consideration on Thursday with his regular bail plea, also asked the CBI to try make efforts to file the status report in the matter on the same day itself.
