BJP veteran Shanta Kumar defends AAP's Sisodia, blames system
Shimla (PTI): Veteran BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar on Wednesday lauded AAP leader Manish Sisodia for his "clean image" but suggested that he might be "collecting money" for his party to fight elections.
Sisodia was arrested Sunday over alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
In remarks that could embarrass his own party, Shanta Kumar said the AAP formed its government in the national capital "right under the nose of the BJP government at the Centre", after badly defeating the ruling party.
He said the AAP government worked for five years and then came back to power, calling it a "big achievement."
Sisodia became well known as a deputy chief minister with a clean image who did "commendable work", and is now in jail, the BJP leader said, according to a statement posted on Facebook.
Shanta Kumar said there have been charges and counter charges from both sides. It is also difficult to imagine that Sisodia may have been put in jail by the CBI without having committed any crime, he added.
He said the AAP leader is being accused of framing a liquor policy that brought profits to traders.
The Himachal leader said it appeared that "Sisodia is totally honest as an individual but might have done all this to collect money for the party and the elections".
"In my opinion this is the truth, and if this is the truth, the country very seriously needs to take some new decisions," he said in Hindi.
He argued that political parties take money from big business people, who make up for the amount through corruption with the help of the government that come to power.
After elections, the winning candidates file false expenditure accounts with the Election Commission, he charged. "How can everything be well in a country where democracy begins with black money and lies," he said.
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Badlapur accused Akshay Shinde shot dead: Lawyer of minor girls calls it 'killing of justice'
Mumbai (PTI): The gunning down of Badlapur case accused Akshay Shinde on Monday was the "killing of justice", said Asim Sarode, lawyer for the two minor girls he allegedly sexually assaulted.
Shinde was killed near Mumbra Bypass around 6:15pm when he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman while he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of a probe into a case registered on the complaint of his former wife.
After he shot and injured an API, another personnel from the escort team fired at him, and he was declared dead by doctors at a nearby hospital.
"While representing the two minor girls, I noticed it was becoming uncomfortable for the local politics of the Thane district and even for the educational institution where Akshay Shinde was working. Shinde's death in such a manner is killing of justice," Sarode told a regional news channel.
"Now, the case of sexual assault of the two minor girls will get sidelined. The case of these two minor girls was becoming difficult for the educational institute, as it is affiliated with a certain political family. Such a practice would lower the confidence of people in police and the judiciary," he claimed.
Sarode said he will be filing a plea before the Bombay High Court demanding thorough inquiry into the firing incident.
"Shinde's case could have brought up certain aspects that would have been negative politically for the government. I wonder how Shinde could access the gun and how he could unlock it when his hands were tied. This is political murder and is absolutely wrong," he said.
