Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Sunday that former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia is being "mentally tortured" in jail and the people there are pressurising him to sign a false confession.
The AAP leader remarked at a press conference in the national capital: "Manish Sisodia ji stated this in the CBI Trial Court yesterday. This had also been brought to the attention of the court. Because the CBI lacks evidence, they are torturing."
"Modi ji's harassment has reached such an extent that Manish Sisodia, whose education approach is widely discussed throughout the world, is being mentally tortured and coerced to sign wrong allegations on paper," alleged another AAP leader, Sanjay Singh.
A Delhi court on Saturday extended the CBI's custody of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who was detained in a corruption case relating to the now-scrapped excise policy, by two days so that he may be confronted with material witnesses.
As Sisodia called it "mental harassment," special judge M K Nagpal ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to ask him the same questions over and over again.
"They are not using the third degree. But, sitting for eight to nine hours and answering the same questions over and again is also considered mental harassment "Sisodia stated, who was brought before the court after his five-day CBI custody expired.
To this, the judge, who had at the last hearing asked the CBI not to use the third degree on the accused, told the probe agency not to ask the "same questions again and again". "Ask him if you have something new," Nagpal replied.
The CBI arrested Sisodia last week in connection with suspected corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-cancelled excise policy for 2021-22.
(With Inputs From Agencies)