Assam CM threatens Delhi Deputy CM Sisodia to file criminal defamation case

On Saturday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed on social media that Manish Sisodia had ignored his call during the Covid pandemic and refused to help Assamese people. Sarma claimed that he had to wait seven days to obtain the body of an Assamese covid victim from a Delhi mortuary.

Taking to his twitter account, Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, “While you Mr Manish Sisodia at that point of time showed a completely different side. You  refused my multiple calls to help Assamese people stuck in Delhi. I can never forget one instance when I had to wait 7 days just to get an Assamese covid victim’s body from Delhi’s mortuary”.

“Dear Manish Sishodia, let me refresh your memory from 2 years. You did not even reply to my tweet when my people from Assam needed your help during the Covid pandemic. Many phone calls even went unanswered in spite of the fact that we knew each other very well”.

Sarma further threatens Manish Sisodia to file a criminal defamation case. “Stop sermonising and I will see you soon in Guwahati as you will face criminal defamation”.

Sisodia accuses Himanta Sarma of giving govt PPE kit deals to firms of wife, son's business partners. As India battled the Covid pandemic in 2020, then Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma gave contracts to companies of his wife and son's business partners to supply PPE kits above market rates, AAP leader Manish Sisodia alleged on Saturday citing media reports.

At a press conference, he claimed that while the Assam government procured PPE kits for Rs 600 a piece from other companies, Sarma gave urgent supply orders to the firms of his wife and son's business partners for Rs 990 a piece "taking advantage of the COVID-19 emergency".

The firm belonging to Sarma's wife does not even deal in medical equipment, he alleged.

"While the contract given to the firm of Sarma's wife was cancelled as the company could not supply PPE kits, another supply order was given to the firm belonging to the business partners of his son at a rate of Rs 1,680 per kit," Sisodia said citing the media report.

He said two websites had collaborated on the story and published it two days ago.

The AAP leader asked why the members of the BJP were silent on corruption by a chief minister of a state ruled by the saffron party.

"They talk of corruption and level baseless allegations against members of opposition parties. I want to probe their understanding of corruption... Want to ask them if they consider this (Assam case) corruption or not," Sisodia added.

He said the Enforcement Directorate arrested Satyendar Jain on "bogus" charges of corruption and the Centre told the court on Friday that he is "not an accused".

The ED had arrested Jain on May 30 in a money laundering case after hours of questioning. The agency has alleged that the AAP leader and his wife had amassed disproportionate wealth worth Rs 1.47 crore between February 2015 and May 2017, more than double their known sources of income.