Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, remains under scrutiny by investigative agencies regarding an alleged classroom construction scam. As part of the investigation, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) conducted a thorough interrogation, posing 37 questions.
New Delhi: Delhi's political landscape is once again embroiled in allegations of corruption. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is under the ACB's radar concerning an alleged classroom construction scam. On Friday, the ACB questioned him for three and a half hours, posing 37 questions. Surprisingly, Sisodia did not take responsibility for a single one. The matter has now evolved into a political debate centered around "accountability versus political vendetta" within political circles.
Sisodia Pleads Ignorance Before ACB
According to ACB sources, during the interrogation, Sisodia deflected most questions by stating that decisions were made by the cabinet or relevant officials, despite his signature appearing on numerous files in the records. ACB chief Madhur Verma stated that as the chairman of the finance committee, Sisodia's claim of unawareness regarding the decisions raises serious questions. Key questions posed included:
- How did the cost of classroom construction double in a single year?
- Why was the 2012 CVC report not made public until 2025?
- What criteria were used to select the contractors awarded the work?
- Sisodia either gave evasive answers to most questions or avoided taking responsibility.
Alleged Scam: ₹2000 Crore Financial Irregularity
The FIR filed by the ACB alleges massive financial irregularities in the construction of over 12,000 semi-permanent classrooms in schools under the Delhi government. While the estimated cost per classroom under this scheme was ₹5 lakh, it escalated to ₹24.86 lakh per classroom. The complaint was filed in 2018 by Kapil Mishra and Harish Khurana based on data obtained through an RTI. It is also alleged that 34 contractors were involved in the project, most of whom had links to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Immediately after the interrogation, Manish Sisodia held a press conference and launched a b attack on the BJP. He stated that when the BJP cannot perform, it resorts to filing false FIRs. He pointed out that 100 days have passed since the change in government, and there have been no improvements in electricity, water, health, or education in Delhi. He claimed this is a conspiracy to distract public attention.
Senior AAP leader Atishi also bly criticized the BJP, stating that over the past 10 years, the BJP has filed more than 200 false cases against AAP leaders, but not a single instance of corruption has been proven.
BJP's Retort: Arrest Imminent
BJP Delhi state president Virendra Sachdeva called the classroom scam "not just corruption, but organized government loot." He alleged that payments were made by falsely classifying toilets and verandas as classrooms in official records. He asserted that Manish Sisodia's arrest is almost certain. He said the AAP should now answer in court instead of holding press conferences.
Sachdeva added that with the central government now in power in Delhi, investigative agencies are receiving full cooperation, leading to the case nearing its conclusion. The ACB may summon Sisodia again. The agency is also considering conducting a joint interrogation with Satyendra Jain and other accused. Separately, the ED has raided 37 locations related to the case and seized some digital documents.
