For Manish Sisodia, CBI’s Four Questions On Liquor Policy Case
New Delhi:
Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had to field four key questions on the liquor policy case from the Central Bureau of Investigation today, sources told NDTV. The session, which started at noon, is still on. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party is bracing for his arrest. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, however, has declared that no jail can keep his deputy in.
The Central agency has been investigating the matter after a go-ahead from Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in August. This is the first time it is questioning Mr Sisodia, who is a prime accused in the case, which involves alleged kickbacks to political leaders by private players in exchange for liquor shop licenses.
Sources said Mr Sisodia — who reached the CBI offices at 11 — was asked about the alleged involvement of liquor companies in framing of the liquor policy.
The agency also had questions on allegations that the liquor firms made 12 per cent profit in the process, of which 6 per cent was routed to public servants through middlemen like Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Bonipally.
The other big questions were on the alleged loss to the state in the process and irregularities in implementing the policy, like cabinet clearance for the new rules after they were implemented.
As the agency summons came yesterday, Mr Sisodia tweeted to say that he would offer full cooperation to the investigators.
“The CBI raided my house for 14 hours, nothing came out of it. They searched my bank locker, and found nothing. They did not find anything in my village. Now they have called me to CBI Headquarters at 11 am tomorrow. I will go and give my full cooperation,” he tweeted in Hindi.
AAP has alleged that the BJP has been using the excise rules targetting Mr Sisodia as it was “scared” of losing to the party in the coming assembly elections in Gujarat.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today claimed that the BJP plans to keep Mr Sisodia in jail till after the Gujarat elections. But this plan will not work, he said. “Prison locks will break, Manish Sisodia will be free,” he tweeted in Hindi, sharing a video of Mr Sisodia addressing supporters before he headed to the offices of the Central Bureau of Investigation for questioning.