New Delhi:

Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders today accused the Delhi Police of manhandling Manish Sisodia, citing a video of the jailed former Deputy Chief Minister being produced in court.

In the video, Manish Sisodia is at a Delhi court, surrounded by a large number of policemen, when reporters ask him about the ongoing confrontation between the AAP government in Delhi and the Centre over who controls officers.

A reporter asked him to comment on the Centre’s ordinance, or special order, to bypass a Supreme Court ruling that gave the control of services to the Delhi Government.

“Modi ji has become very arrogant. He doesn’t believe in democracy…” Mr Sisodia said as a police officer, AK Singh, was seen trying to push the reporters’ phones away.

Mr Sisodia kept talking until the policeman restrained him by the neck and dragged him off.

“Does the police have the right to misbehave with Manish ji like this? Has the police been asked from above to do this? (sic)” Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, sharing a post by Education Minister Atishi highlighting the video.

क्या पुलिस को इस तरह मनीष जी के साथ दुर्व्यवहार करने का अधिकार है? क्या पुलिस को ऐसा करने के लिए ऊपर से कहा गया है? https://t.co/izPacU6SHI

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 23, 2023

“Shocking misbehaviour by this policeman with Manish ji in Rouse Avenue Court. Delhi police should suspend him immediately,” Atishi wrote.

Delhi Police, in a tweet, denied misbehaving with Mr Sisodia, calling it propaganda.

राउज एवेन्यू कोर्ट में पेशी के समय श्री मनीष सिसोदिया के साथ पुलिस दुर्व्यवहार की बात दुष्प्रचार है।

वीडियो में प्रचारित पुलिस की प्रतिक्रिया सुरक्षा की दृष्टि से अनिवार्य थी।

न्यायिक अभिरक्षा में अभियुक्त द्वारा मीडिया को वक्तव्य जारी करना विधि विरुद्ध है।#DelhiPoliceUpdates

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) May 23, 2023

“The police action shown in the video was necessary for security. It is against the law for any accused to give statements to the media,” the police said in the tweet.