AAP links CBI summons to Supreme Court ruling on MCD mayoral polls

Sisodia claimed the Supreme Court’s Friday verdict regarding the mayoral elections “derailed the BJP’s schemes” and was a “slap on the BJP’s face”. And the very next day, he was asked to appear at CBI headquarters for questioning on Sunday.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday linked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summons to deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the excise policy case to the Supreme Court’s order on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral polls on Friday.”

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia speaks to the media on being summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi excise policy case in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI)

Sisodia claimed the Supreme Court’s Friday verdict regarding the mayoral elections “derailed the BJP’s schemes” and was a “slap on the BJP’s face”. And the very next day, he was asked to appeamcdr at CBI headquarters for questioning on Sunday.

“BJP got a slap on their face. Immediately after this, on Saturday morning, CBI summoned me to CBI headquarters on Sunday. The summons was issued when I was preparing the Budget. They have lost in the Supreme Court and now they want to exact revenge and harass me. It may be their politics to harass and seek revenge but it should not be done at the cost of stopping the works of Delhi,” Sisodia added.

On Friday, Supreme Court held that the 10 members (aldermen) nominated by the lieutenant governor will have no say in the elections of the mayor, deputy mayor and standing committee members. The court also ruled that the mayor elections will be held first and the newly elected mayor will preside over the other two elections. The orders were opposite to the rulings made by MCD’s presiding officer Satya Sharma--a BJP councillor from Gautampuri.

Sisodia on Sunday also claimed that if he were not able to provide a final shape to the Budget, “the people of Delhi will suffer”.

“Put me in jail but not at the cost of the people of Delhi. I have full apprehension that they (CBI) will arrest me. I have requested them to give me additional time to complete the Budget process. If they want to arrest me in accordance with the BJP’s directions, they should do it later. This revenge should not be taken by derailing the Budget process. They can arrest me after the Budget, which will be finalised in one week,” he added.

Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva, meanwhile, said it was “surprising” that deputy CM Sisodia had been saying that he was always prepared for inquiry and that there was no scam in the liquor policy, but the moment CBI called him, he “has started finding excuses to evade inquiry for as long as possible”.

“He claimed that the BJP may soon get him arrested through CBI, so it seems that Sisodia has an inkling that CBI has sufficient evidence against him as no investigative agency will make an arrest without sufficient evidence. Anyhow, now the matter is between CBI and Sisodia and it is up to the investigation agency to give him time, but if every suspect called by an investigation agency started seeking time as per their convenience, then how would inquiries take place?”