Facing corruption charges, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain resign from Cabinet

Facing serious corruption charges, Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia have resigned from their posts in the state cabinet, just two days after Delhi Deputy CM was arrested by the CBI in the alleged liquor scam case. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accepted their resignation. 

Satyendra Jain, who has been currently in jail for nine months in a money laundering case, held about eight departments - Home, Health, Power, Water, Industries, Urban Development, Irrigation, and Flood Control. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 31 May 2022. 

Sisodia held 18 portfolios including Finance and Excise Department, which looks after the liquor policy in the city. He was arrested on Sunday by the CBI, which is probing the corruption in the liquor policy which was rolled out by the AAP government under Sisodia's watch.      

BJP MP and former central minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Sisodia should have resigned the moment scandalous allegations came to light. "If Manish Sisodia has any moral compass left, he should have resigned then...his bail plea in SC was that he looks after 18 depts, he was keen to run departments and not to explain such allegations. AAP's conduct is 3Cs 'cut, commission, and corruption'," he said. 

According to reports, the portfolios of Manish Sisodia are likely to be given to Delhi cabinet ministers Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand. No new minister will be sworn in as of now, news agency ANI said citing sources.