CBI summon a ploy to arrest Manish Sisodia before Gujarat polls, claims AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday alleged that the summon by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia for appearance at its headquarters on Monday is a ploy to arrest him because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to prevent him from campaigning for the party in poll-bound Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday compared his deputy with legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh after CBI summoned the latter in connection with the alleged excise scam. Sisodia, who is also the excise minister of Delhi, is an accused in the case registered in August.

On Sunday afternoon, AAP leader Sisodia said that he has been summoned by CBI to appear before it at the federal agency’s headquarters on Monday at 11am. “Raid was conducted at my house for 14 hours, it revealed nothing. My bank locker was scanned, nothing was found. They found nothing in my village (during a search). Now they have summoned me to CBI headquarters at 11am on Monday. I will go and extend all cooperation,” Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi.

CBI in August began a probe into the alleged irregularities and corruption in framing and implementation of Delhi excise policy 2021-22 following a recommendation from Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena to probe the case. The now withdrawn excise policy was in force in Delhi between November 2021 and August 2022.

Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi: “The jail and the gallows could not affect the solid determination of Bhagat Singh. This is the second freedom struggle. Manish and Satyendar Jain (who is in jail in a money laundering case) are today’s Bhagat Singh. After 75 years the country got an education minister who provided good education to the poor and gave them the expectation of a bright future. The blessing of crores of poor are with you.”

Also Read | CBI summons Manish Sisodia for questioning in Delhi excise policy scam probe

Meanwhile, AAP leaders held back to back press conference at the party’s headquarters on the issue and AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh claimed that the summon was a ploy to arrest Sisodia because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to prevent the AAP leader from campaigning in Gujarat. “The summon is part of BJP preparations to arrest him and prevent him from campaigning. They want to put him in jail because Gujarat elections are going to be announced and multiple rallies, and public events of Manish Sisodia related to Gujarat elections are being planned,” said Singh, adding that the summon was an indication of the BJP’s imminent defeat in the Gujarat polls and the BJP’s frustration.

Also Read | What is Delhi excise policy and why is it a flashpoint of BJP-AAP tussle?

In a separate press conference, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said Manish Sisodia will be arrested on Monday so that he can be prevented from electioneering in Gujarat. “The summon has nothing to do with excise policy, but with the Gujarat election,” said Bharadwaj, adding that CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have conducted raids at more than 500 places (since August 20) but no incriminating evidence was found.

After its landslide victory in Punjab, the AAP has turned its focus on Gujarat where the party is trying to hardsell its ‘Delhi model’ and project itself as a political alternative. Arvind Kejriwal was in Gujarat on Sunday where he and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann are scheduled to address a public rally in the afternoon.

The story will be updated when the BJP responds to the AAP charges.