New Delhi: Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claimed that he was pressured to quit the Aam Aadmi Party and join the BJP at the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday while questioning.
Sisodia also said that “There is no issue of any scam” calling the excise policy case fake.
“The case isn’t to probe any scam against me, but to make Operation Lotus successful in Delhi,” he said after the questioning by CBI.
Meanwhile, the CBI has denied the allegations with statement which reads, “CBI strongly refutes these allegations (of Delhi Dy CM Sisodia) & reiterates that his examination was carried out in a professional & legal manner. Probe to continue as per law.”
“He was examined strictly on FIR allegations & evidence collected so far. His statement will be verified in due course, further action taken as per probe requirements.”
The AAP leader was questioned by CBI officials for 9 hours in several aspects of the Delhi excise policy case. Sisodia, who had arrived at the CBI office in the national capital at 11.15am, was seen leaving the place around 8.55pm.
A CBI official quoted newswire ANI that CBI will evaluate the answers given by Delhi Dy CM, Manish Sisodia and if needed, he will be summoned again later and informed “No summons to Sisodia for tomorrow.”
Sisodia, who is in charge of the Delhi government’s excise department, besides education, has been named as the number one accused in an FIR filed in the excise case back in August.
The Delhi deputy chief minister has been under the scanner for alleged deliberate and gross procedural lapses that provided undue benefits to the tender process for liquor licenses for 2021-22.
According to the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, with undue favors being extended to license holders. They said license fees were also waived or reduced and the L-1 license was extended without the competent authority’s approval.
In August, agencies carried out searches at his official residence along with several other locations.
Other accused in the excise policy scam case include a former employee of Pernod Ricard Manoj Rai, director of Brindco Sales Amandeep Dhal, authorised signatories of Mahadev Liquors Sunny Marwah, Arun Ramchandra Pillai and Arjun Pandey.
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