THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saidthat the CBI arresting former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case could have been avoided. Even when various political parties and state chief ministers jointly sent a letter to the prime minister earlier on the same issue, the left parties abstained. However, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is a PB member of CPM, has sent a letter to the PM against the CBI action.

In the letter, the Chief Minister pointed out that Sisodia's arrest strengthens the arguments against some of the actions of the central investigating agencies, although he said he is not going into the merits of the case, which under investigation.

"Unless the arrest was an imperative for preventing the impediment to the investigation, the desirable act would have been to avoid it. As per information coming out in public domain, nothing incriminating like cash seizure has taken place in the case of Sisodia. While law has to take its course, it is equally important that the widespread perception that Sisodia is being targeted for political reasons and need to be dispelled," CM Vijayan said in his letter.

"It is the golden principle of natural justice that justice should not only be done, but seem to be done too", he added.

The Chief Minister pointed out in the letter that the instructions from the Prime Minister in this regard will help to remove the doubts of the general public.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for sending a letter to the Prime Minister in support.