Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case. The summons comes in the wake of the arrest of AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the same case, and amid allegations of irregularities and kickbacks in liquor vending. This is the first time that Kejriwal has been summoned by the CBI in the case, and it comes at a time when his party has been officially recognized as a national party by the Election Commission.
Kejriwal has been asked to be present at the CBI office on Sunday, April 16, at 11 am for interrogation. The investigative agencies have made several arrests in the case, and the BJP has been claiming that Kejriwal was the mastermind behind the alleged scam. In addition to the CBI summons, Kejriwal has also received a summon from the Goa Police regarding a case of alleged defacement of public property, for which he will have to be present for questioning on April 27.
At an event on Friday, Kejriwal responded to the CBI summons by saying, “There are several anti-national forces in the country that do not want the country to progress. All these people sent Manish Sisodia to jail. Those who sent Sisodia to jail are the enemies of the country.” He also stated that all AAP leaders must be prepared to go to jail, as his party has been facing allegations and arrests in recent times.
The allegations against AAP in the Delhi excise policy case include receiving kickbacks in exchange for benefits in liquor vending. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, after hours of investigation in the alleged scam, which was scrapped after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
The CBI summons to Kejriwal has brought the case into the spotlight once again and is expected to have significant political ramifications. As the investigation progresses, all eyes will be on the developments and outcomes of the case, which could impact the political landscape in Delhi and beyond.
In conclusion, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by the CBI for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case. The allegations against AAP and the recent arrest of Manish Sisodia have brought the case to the forefront, and the political implications of the CBI summons are being closely watched. Further developments in the case will be eagerly anticipated, as it unfolds in the coming days.