Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia being taken to Rouse Avenue Court by CBI officials in the excise policy case, in New Delhi, February 27, 2023.

In the absence of Sisodia, Revenue minister Kailash Gahlot likely to present state annual Budget; Deputy CM finds support in KCR, Pinarayi, Akhilesh and Soren; HC to hear plea concerning demolition drive in Mehrauli.

Manish Sisodia Arrest: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has approached the Supreme Court challenging his arrest by CBI in the excise policy case. The apex court has agreed to take up the plea at 3.50 pm today. As Sisodia has been sent to CBI custody till March 4, AAP sources said the responsibility of presenting the state annual Budget could fall on Transport and Revenue minister Kailash Gahlot. Though the basic framework and general outline of the Budget are ready, remaining works are still underway and Sisodia’s absence means that the officials concerned are in a spot.

Meanwhile, the national capital witnessed tense scenes Monday after as many as 200 AAP supporters took to the streets carrying placards and wearing handcuffs and black bands and staged a protest outside the BJP’s DDU Marg office against the arrest of the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren rallied behind Sisodia Monday and lashed out at the BJP for “intimidating opposition parties”. The Congress, however, is conspicuously quiet.

In other news, the Delhi High Court will Tuesday hear a plea concerning the demolition drive in Mehrauli. The court had, on February 20, refrained from entertaining a public interest litigation plea seeking a bar on the demolition action till a fresh demarcation report was filed. The DDA in its response said that the subject land belongs to it since 1975 and the affected residents failed to prove ownership of the land which falls in Laha Sarai and is part of Mehrauli Archaeological park.