Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisoida on Sunday alleged that the CBI was trying “maliciously” to frame him and seize his computer to falsely implicate him in the Delhi consumer policy case. A CBI team descended on Sisodia’s office on Saturday to look for some records related to the Delhi Excise Policy case.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, Sisodia said, “There appears to be scope for implanting, erasing and editing the record in the seized CPU by the CBI team for filing a frivolous case against me. “In case of absence of ‘HASH VALUE’ entry during seizure, CBI can change the entry in the seized CPU as they see fit to maliciously implicate me.
He claimed “I have clear apprehension that CBI has seized the CPU to destroy confidential files/documents stored in it and will implant/modify the files in the CPU and use the same to falsely accuse me as my name is not in the CBI charge sheet as the accused. in view of the aforementioned case”.
A “Hash Value” is essentially an electronic fingerprint. The data in the file is represented using a cryptographic algorithm as a value known as a Hash Value. It is a string of data variables. The hash value is the key to determine and verify the integrity of the data involved.
CBI is still continuing investigation
He added “Although the CBI/ED investigation in the excise matter has been going on since last August 2022, it has not led to any material against me. However, even after the chargesheet was filed, the CBI is still continuing its fishing and roving investigation in the matter”
Manish Sisoida said “This Act clearly shows that no procedural safeguards have been followed to ensure the integrity of electronic documents as mandated by the CBI Manual & IT Act. Therefore, the seizure of electronic evidence yesterday (Saturday) has lost its authenticity and integrity in the eyes of the law,”
The senior AAP leader, who is facing a CBI probe on corruption charges for allegedly tweaking Delhi’s now scrapped liquor policy in favor of dealers, said his office was closed as it was the second Saturday.
Manish Sisoida said “Some CBI official informed my PS (personal secretary) over phone to come to the office and open it. When my PS reached the office around 3 pm, he saw that a team of CBI officials was already present in my office”.
The CBI officials reportedly asked him to open the office and take them to a conference room
Manish Sisoida also added “When they reached the conference room, they saw the computer installed in it, they asked my PS to turn it on, they evaluated the same and immediately passed the notification to me…According to the notice, the secretary was asked to produce the CPU of the system installed in my conference room. Thereafter, the CPU was seized from the conference room of my office without following the prescribed due process”.
The minister also claimed that the notice given to his personal secretary was handwritten.
“The said conduct/act of the CBI officials also shows their malice where a notice was given and the said property was immediately seized without following the instructions,” he said. However, the investigating agency rejected Sisodia’s claims. “During any search or seizure, the CBI follows the procedure according to the letter of the law,” a CBI spokesperson said on Sunday.
A CBI probe into the alleged excise duty scam was recommended by Delhi Governor VK Saxena last year. The agency has registered a case against several persons, including Sisodia.
The agency also questioned the AAP leader for several hours in connection with the case besides conducting raids at his official residence .First charge sheet against the seven accused on November 25 last year. Sisodia did not feature in the documentary.
