Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain Resign Amid Corruption Charges

Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain have quit the Delhi cabinet amid the corruption charges against them. Sisodia was arrested last weekend while Jain has been in prison since May last year for money laundering. The two resigned after the opposition questioned why they were still in the Delhi government.

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday over his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy case. He was reportedly grilled for eight hours before his arrest. On the other hand, Satyendar Jain, who was Delhi’s health and prisons minister, was arrested back in May last year by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money laundering. Both the AAP ministers were still part of the Delhi government, till now.

After questions were raised by BJP about the two ministers till being in government, it has not been reported that both Sisodia and Jain have resigned and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accepted their resignations and reassigned their ministries. AAP asserted that the resignation was an “administrative step” and in no way an admission of guilt. According to sources, the two ministers will not be replaced, at least till the Delhi Budget next month.

After Jain’s arrest in May last year, his departments were transferred to Sisodia. Now, his total of 18 departments have been transferred to ministers Kailash Gahlot and Raj Kumar Anand. The AAP Delhi cabinet now has only five members including Kejriwal. The Chief Minister is focused on the party’s national plans and has not taken over any ministries.

In his resignation letter, Sisodia wrote, “I am stepping away till the charges against me are proven false.” He put in his resignation after the Supreme Court told him to approach a lower court first with his petition challenging the arrest. “There are likely to be more cases against me… God knows these allegations are false,” he added.

Vineet Washington