Delhi liquor scam: CBI calls Manish Sisodia for questioning on Feb 26

Sisodia has accused the BJP of using the probe agency to take "revenge" from him and expressed apprehension that he would be arrested.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been summoned by CBI on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of Delhi excise policy.

"CBI has called me again tomorrow. They have used full force of the CBI and ED. They raided my house, searched my bank lockers but could not find any evidence against me. I have ensured quality education for Delhi's children. They want to stop my efforts. I have always cooperated in probe and will continue to do so", Sisodia had tweeted on Saturday.

Earlier, Sisodia was asked to appear before the central probe agency on February 19.

"It is my duty as finance minister to present the budget on time and I have been working 24 hours for it. I have requested the CBI to allow me to come after the last week of February and answer all their questions," Sisodia had told reporters.

Sisodia has accused the BJP of using the probe agency to take "revenge" from him and expressed apprehension that he would be arrested.

However, the probe agency accepted Sisodia's request to defer the interrogation after he sought time to appear before it, citing the ongoing budget exercise of the Delhi government.

What is Delhi liquor scam

Delhi liquor case is a corruption case in which the Delhi government's excise department was allegedly involved in a scam worth crores of rupees.

The Kejriwal government withdrew Excise Policy 2021-22 last year after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe was recommended by Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena into "violation of norms and lapses".

The CBI had registered an FIR in a special court in August last year against Sisodia and 14 others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of records), and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

It is alleged the Delhi government's policy to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP.