Feedback Unit case: CBI registers case against Delhi's former DyCM Manish Sisodia

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a second case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in connection with allegations that a Special Feedback Unit created by the Delhi government in 2015 was illegally used for snooping on political rivals and government officials. It comes after the Union Home Ministry on February 22 allowed the probe agency to investigate the alleged snooping case. 

According to sources, several people have been named accused in the FIR including Manish Sisodia, Sukesh Kumar Jain, Rakesh Kumar Sinha (working as Special Advisor to the CM and Joint Director, Feedback Unit, GNCT of Delhi), Pradeep Kumar Punj (working as Deputy Director, Feedback Unit, GNCT of Delhi), Satish Khetrapal (working as Feed Back Officer, GNCT of Delhi), Gopal Mohan, Advisor Anti-corruption to the CM of Delhi. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has expressed his concern over the 'false case' against Manish Sisodia. He took to Twitter and wrote, "PM’s plan is to slap several false cases against Manish and keep him in custody for a long period. Sad for the country!" 

PM’s plan is to slap several false cases against Manish and keep him in custody for a long period. Sad for the country! https://t.co/G48JtXeTIc

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal)

How Manish Sisodia was dragged into the matter? 

The controversy of 'political snooping' kickstarted when the AAP came to power in 2015 and took the constructive step of constituting a Feedback Unit (FBU) in September of the same year. The decision to create the special unit was taken by CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government after it lost a battle to take the control of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena got control over the ACB unit. 

According to reports, the FBU was set up by the Delhi government to collect relevant information and feedback from various departments, institutions and autonomous bodies falling in its jurisdiction. The unit was also responsible to probe corruption cases across the city. However, no cabinet note and LG's sanction was taken at the time of its formation, sources claimed. 

The CBI has also claimed that FBU started functioning on February 1, 2016, with a grant of Rs 1 crore. In the timeline of eight months, it probed over 700 cases, of which 60 per cent was of vigilance and 40 per cent related to political snooping, according to the CBI. The unit was constituted under the supervision of the Vigilance department and Manish Sisodia served as the minister-in-charge of vigilance.