DW BUREAU / Amritsar

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Sunday visited the Golden Temple and the Durgiana temple here and prayed for party chief Arvind Kejriwal's release from jail. The former deputy chief minister of Delhi was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

This is Sisodia's first visit to Punjab since he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy earlier this month.

Talking to reporters at the Golden Temple complex, Sisodia said he and his family members offered prayers at the Sikh shrine. He said he also prayed for Kejriwal's release. Kejriwal is lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail in connection with corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged excise policy scam being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) respectively.

Sisodia recalled his 17 months in Tihar jail and claimed that he was put behind bars "under a conspiracy".

He said he got justice with the blessings of God, because of the Supreme Court and the Constitution.

"It is my great fortune that I had the opportunity to bow down at Darbar Sahib. I came here with my family with full devotion. Even when I was in jail, I prayed for the victory of truth," he said.

"I had discussed with Mann sahab that my first visit would be to Sachkhand Sri Darbar Sahib to bow my head," he said.

Shortly after landing in Amritsar, Sisodia lauded the Mann government for its "excellent work" in the state.

At the Golden Temple complex, Mann credited Sisodia with revolutionising the country's education sector.

"He (Sisodia) got justice from the Supreme Court," the chief minister said, adding that he hoped that Kejriwal would also be released from jail soon.

"Manish Sisodia ji came to Darbar Sahib after being granted bail by the Supreme Court. Truth has prevailed," Mann said.

He further alleged that the BJP tried to break the AAP by sending its leaders to jail. But the AAP is resilient and unbreakable, he added. Sisodia and Mann were accompanied by several AAP leaders, including ministers Laljit Singh Bhullar, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Harbhajan Singh, and MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur.
(editor@dailyworld.in)