Manish Sisodia's ‘jail’ tweet ahead of CBI questioning in Delhi liquor 'scam'

Ahead of the questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam case, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday claimed he doesn't care if he has to stay in jail for a few months.

“Going to the CBI again today. Will cooperate fully in the entire investigation. The love of lakhs of children and the blessings of crores of countrymen are with us. I don't care if I have to stay in jail for a few months, Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has reportedly prepared an exhaustive set of questions for the minister amid apprehensions of his arrest.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged his party leaders are being put under ‘house arrest,’ ahead of Sisodia's appearance before the probe agency.

“This is (prime minister Narendra) Modi's police…they may or may not be able to prevent crimes, but they are using all their power to arrest Manish Sisodia. AAP leaders are being put under house arrest. Why are you so scared of (chief minister) Arvind Kejriwal, Modi ji? You can do anything you want, but you will fail,” tweeted Singh.

He also shared an image of security personnel deployed outside what is presumably his residence.

Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio in the Delhi Cabinet, was originally summoned last Sunday. He had sought deferment of his questioning, citing the ongoing budget exercise, following which the probe agency had asked him to appear on February 26.

Sisodia has expressed apprehensions that the central investigation agencies might arrest him.

"They are using the CBI to take revenge and I am sure they will do that by getting me arrested," he had alleged.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that his sources have confirmed that his deputy will be arrested on Sunday by the CBI. “The CBI has called Manish Sisodia for questioning. Our sources are saying that he will be arrested on Sunday... It is very sad,” Kejriwal said ABP Network's 'Ideas of India' Summit.

Hailing Sisodia for improving the education system in Delhi, Kejriwal said, “Manish is the person, who after 75 years of independence has given hope to the poor people of this country that their children can also have a good future. Today in Delhi, the children of the poor are becoming doctors, engineers and lawyers. Manish Sisodia has given a lot of hope to them.”

The senior AAP leader was earlier examined for a day on October 17 last year, nearly a month before the central probe agency had filed its charge sheet against seven people, including middlemen and liquor traders, in which Sisodia was not listed as accused, but the agency had kept the probe into his alleged role open.

Nearly three months after filing its charge sheet, the CBI will question Sisodia on various aspects of the now-scrapped excise policy, his alleged links with liquor traders, and politicians, and claims made by witnesses in their statements.