NEW DELHI: The CPI(M) on Monday condemned the arrest of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, accusing the government of using central agencies to target the opposition in an attempt to divert attention from the Adani issue.

The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi, on Sunday in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.

In a statement, the Left party charged, "His arrest is part of the Modi government project to weaponise central investigative agencies to target opposition party leaders. In almost every state where the government is run by an opposition party, cases are filed against leaders, arrests are made so as to destabilise the governments being run by opposition parties".

"Having failed to win elections by democratic means the Modi regime is using central agencies to undermine democracy in India targeting the opposition," it charged.

It also alleged that the attack on opposition leaders is also to "divert attention from the increasing questions being raised about the nature of the relationship between the prime minister, the ruling party and its 'favoured' big business houses like Adani."