Kapil Sibal, who 'predicted CBI action’, reacts to summons to Arvind Kejriwal

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday said that he had predicted action against Arvind Kejriwal in an article and hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over the CBI summoning the Delhi chief minister for questioning in the alleged liquor scam.

Sibal alleged that the ruling party wants to establish an “Opposition-free India” and is seeking to “malign” the image of leaders who stand up against it.

“I had written that as Arvind Kejriwal is on a political rise, the CBI will call him. The agencies are being misused for the past year. All political parties should keep their differences aside and speak in one voice against this injustice... This is the murder of democracy,” the Rajya Sabha MP told news agency ANI.

“They (the BJP) want an Opposition-free India and are targeting all Opposition leaders. We have seen how they have targeted Opposition chief ministers of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and other leaders,” Sibal said.

Sibal also alleged that the BJP has misused provisions of the Tenth Schedule to topple elected governments. The BJP wants to “malign” the image of Opposition leaders and is “misusing” the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate for it, he alleged.

The CBI on Friday summoned Kejriwal to appear before it on April 16 in connection with the excise policy scam case in which his former deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested last month.

Reacting to the development, Sibal tweeted, "CBI summons Kejriwal, BJP says: Law on course. My take: Persecution on course!"

Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA 1 and 2, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.