Liquor policy: Sisodia will be arrested tomorrow, says AAP after CBI summons
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the controversial liquor excise policy case, at 11 am on Monday (October 17).
The CBI has named Sisodia as an accused in its excise policy case.
Soon after the summons, AAP’s senior leader Saurabh Bhardwaj, at a press conference in Delhi claimed Sisodia “will be arrested tomorrow”.
Also read: Manish Sisodia: ‘Got offer to break AAP, join BJP, have all cases closed’
“We understand the fact that Manish Sisodia is being arrested tomorrow not because of liquor scam but because of the upcoming Gujarat elections. The BJP is scared about the programmes Manish Sisodia has over the next one month and hence is arresting him,” Bhardwaj said.
Informing about the summons on Twitter, Sisodia said he will go to the CBI headquarters in defence of the summons and cooperate with the investigation.
“They searched my house for 14 hours, but didn’t find anything. They searched my bank locker, but didn’t find anything. They couldn’t find anything against me from my village too. Now they have summoned me to the CBI headquarters at 11 am tomorrow. I will go and give my full cooperation,” Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi.
Also read: After CBI raids Manish Sisodia, Delhi govt transfers 12 IAS officers
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal tweeted in support of Sisodia and compared him with freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
“Jail bars and hanging noose could not deter Bhagat Singh’s lofty intentions. This is the second fight for freedom. Manish and Satyendra are today’s Bhagat Singh. After 75 years, the country got an education minister who gave good education to the poor and gave hope for a bright future. Prayers of crores of poor are with you,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
The CBI has accused Sisodia, who handles the Excise Department, of making changes to the excise policy without getting the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. The new excise policy was scrapped from August 1 this year.
Also read: CBI raids Manish Sisodia’s residence, other places in excise policy case
The CBI alleges that changes such as revision of foreign liquor rates and waiver of the import pass fee of ₹50 per case of beer lowered the price of foreign liquor and beer, giving undue advantage to holders of liquor licences and causing loss to the state exchequer.
The central agency on August 19 raided 21 locations in Delhi including Sisodia’s home and the residence of then Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna.
जेल की सलाख़ें और फाँसी का फंदा भगत सिंह के बुलंद इरादों को डिगा नहीं पाये
ये आज़ादी की दूसरी लड़ाई है।मनीष और सत्येंद्र आज के भगत सिंह है
75 साल बाद देश को एक शिक्षा मंत्री मिला जिसने ग़रीबों को अच्छी शिक्षा देकर सुनहरे भविष्य की उम्मीद दी
करोड़ों ग़रीबों की दुआएँ आपके साथ है https://t.co/slc3lb1Mqp
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 16, 2022
