Delhi: CBI Arrests Sisodia's OSD On Graft Charges, Deputy CM Demands Action Against Corrupt Official

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday demanded strictest action against his OSD, who was arrested by the CBI over bribery charges in the national capital on late Thursday night. Sisodia took to Twitter and said that he has been working against such corrupt officials for past five years. “Just got to know that a GST inspector has been arrested while taking a bribe. This man was deployed as the OSD in my office. CBI must ensure strictest possible action against the him. I have myself been working against such corrupt officers and have exposed many in last five years,” Sisodia said in tweet.

The arrest comes day before the crucial Delhi Assembly Elections. Delhi will vote on February 8 tomorrow and the results will be declared on February 11 next week. However, Sisodia said he has no issue over the timing of the arrest. “I have no issues with the timing of arrest, whoever takes bribe should be caught immediately. We have zero tolerance for corruption,” Sisodia was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

मà¥Âà¤Âे पता चला है कि सीबीआई ने à¤Âक GST इनà¥Âसà¥Âपेकà¥Âटर को रिशà¥Âवत लेते हà¥Âà¤Â गिरफ़à¥Âतार किया है. यह अधिकारी मेरे ऑफ़िस में बतौर OSD भी तैनात था. सीबीआई को उसे तà¥Âरंत सख़à¥Âत से सख़à¥Âत सजा दिलानी चाहिà¤Â. à¤Âसे कई भà¥Âरषà¥Âटाचारी अधिकारी मैंने ख़à¥Âद पिछले 5 साल में पकड़वाà¤Â है.

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) February 7, 2020

The official has been identified as one Gopal Krishna Madhav. He is a senior DANICS (Delhi, Andaman Nicobar Island Civil Services) officer. According to the government website, Madhav was appointed as an OSD to Sisodia right after the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Delhi in 2015. Latest report say that Madhav was arrested in a trap case involving Rs 2 Lakh bribe. The arrest comes day before the crucial Delhi Assembly Elections. Delhi will vote on February 8 tomorrow and the results will be declared on February 11 next week.

CBI sources told News Nation that the investigation agency is also probing some other officials in the tax department. Sources say that these officials used to work in a nexus. Sources say that Madhav will be produced at around 3 pm in the special court where the CBI will demand the remand of the arrested official. Searches will also be conducted to probe the extent of the ‘nexus’, sources said.

Manish Sisodia is contesting from East Delhi's Patparganj constituency. (File Photo)

On Thursday, in their final electioneering push, the three key parties made last ditch efforts to seek votes and slugged it out over issues ranging from the amended citizenship law, appeasement politics and unemployment. On the last day of the campaign, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took out three road shows at Seelampur in northeast Delhi, and Hari Nagar and Madipur in west Delhi.