Sisodia, who is the main accused in the case, has been asked to appear before the agency at the CBI headquarters here at 11am on Monday.
AAP functionaries Saurabh BharadwajSanjay Singh and Atishi held separate press conferences and expressed apprehension that Sisodia would be arrested, though there’s “no evidence against him”, in order to stop AAP’s “juggernaut” in pollbound Gujarat.
The new excise policy that came into effect from last November ceased to be in force from September 1 this year following the state government’s decision to withdraw it.
‘No proof, but Sisodia will be arrested’
Hours after deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia tweeted on Sunday saying that he had been called by CBI on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party expressed fears that the agency might arrest him “despite finding no evidence against him” in the alleged excise policy scam.
AAP functionaries Saurabh Bhardwaj, Sanjay Singh and Atishi held separate press conferences and alleged that Sisodia would be arrested to stop AAP’s juggernaut in Gujarat where the party was expanding its base ahead of the assembly polls later this year.
Sisodia has been made prime accused in an FIR registered by CBI on the recommendation of LG VK Saxena to probe alleged irregularities in formulation and implementation of the excise policy 2021-22. CBI has already searched the residence, office and bank locker in connection with the case.
“A CBI raid was conducted at my house for 14 hours, nothing came out. Searched my bank locker, nothing came out in it. They did not find anything in my village. Now, they have called me to CBI headquarters at 11am tomorrow. I will go and extend my full cooperation. Satyameva Jayate,” Sisodia tweeted.
So far, CBI has made two arrests while the enforcement directorate has arrested one person in the case. More than 500 raids have reportedly been conducted since August this year.
Terming it a second freedom struggle, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who is in jail in a separate case, were like Bhagat Singh.
“The jail and the hanging noose could not deter Bhagat Singh’s strong intentions. This is the second fight for freedom. Manish and Satyendar are today’s Bhagat Singh. After 75 years, the country got an education minister who gave good education and hope for a bright future too. Prayers of crores of poor are with you,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
Addressing a press conference, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed that summoning Sisodia to the CBI headquarters was a premeditated move and the deputy CM would be arrested to obstruct AAP’s campaign in Gujarat.
“The CBI summon has nothing to do with the excise case. They have called Manish Sisodia to their office to arrest him. BJP should just wait and watch – the more they arrest AAP leaders, the stronger will the party grow in Gujarat,” Bhardwaj said.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed that the CBI notice sent to Sisodia was a clear indication that BJP’s defeat was certain in Gujarat.
“Acting out of fear, the BJP is conspiring to arrest Manish Sisodia right before his Gujarat rallies. BJP-controlled CBI doesn’t intend to interrogate Sisodia. It is a ploy to arrest him,” Singh alleged.
Kalkaji MLA Atishi alleged that the BJP was trying to shift focus from the growing anti-incumbency against its tenure of 27 years in Gujarat and dent AAP’s poll run by targeting Sisodia.
Reacting to AAP’s claims, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that the leaders of Kejriwal’s party were aware of the corruption in the excise policy and that was why they feared that Sisodia would get arrested.
“AAP leaders have been saying Manish Sisodia will be arrested by CBI on Monday. CBI has so far only summoned him. How can you be so sure of his arrest? That means you know that Sisodia is involved in the scam,” Kapoor tweeted.