CBI asked me 56 questions: Kejriwal after 9-hour grilling

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday was questioned for over nine hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the excise policy case.

Kejriwal claimed that he was asked 56 questions. The AAP national convener was questioned as a witness in the case which investigators said involved corruption in framing the policy to benefit a liquor lobby.

However, the Delhi CM has not been summoned for further questioning.

"I want to say that the entire excise policy case is false. They do not have any evidence that the AAP is wrong. It's a result of dirty politics," he told reporters after being questioned for over nine hours.

He thanked the officials from the central agency for their "hospitality" and said, "They asked me questions in a friendly and harmonious manner. I answered all the questions asked by them."

"The CBI asked around 56 questions regarding the excise policy, including when and why the policy was started," he added.

The AAP chief arrived at around 11 am in his official black SUV. According to officials, he was questioned at the first-floor office of the anti-corruption branch.

"Honesty is our ideology. We are willing to die but won't compromise with honesty. They are doing all this to defame us and our good, development work. We have become a national party now, which is why they are doing this to end us," Kejriwal told reporters.

Last month, Delhi's ex-deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested in the same case.

On the other hand, the AAP workers protested near the CBI office. The AAP leaders Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh, Atishi, Bhagwant Mann among several others were detained by the cops earlier.

"We want to give the BJP a message that our party was carved out of the anti-corruption movement and has seen all kinds of struggle. We aren't scared of CBI, ED or police detention. BJP suffers from Kejriwal phobia. It is because of Kejriwal's fear that the BJP has come down to such an act. We have not been told our crime or the IPC regulation that we have broken," said Raghav Chadha while talking to ANI.

However, fearing Kejriwal's arrest, AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai convened an emergency meeting at the party office on Sunday evening.

According to the probe agencies, the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it. However, this charge has been refuted by Kejriwal government.