Delhi liquor 'scam': CBI accepts Manish Sisodia's request to defer questioning

On Saturday, the CBI summoned Manish Sisodia for questioning, nearly three months after filing a chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has accepted Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia's request to defer the questioning scheduled for Sunday in the liquor policy case. The probe agency will issue a fresh summon soon.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. (ANI file)

Sisodia earlier in the day had sought time from the CBI to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam case, citing the ongoing budget exercise of the city government.

Sisodia was called for questioning on Sunday in connection with the case, nearly three months after a charge sheet was filed in the matter.

“I will visit the CBI office by the end of February, whenever they (CBI) will call me. Being the finance minister of Delhi, preparing the budget is very important, so I have requested to shift the date. I have always cooperated with these agencies,” Sisodia told reporters.

Sisodia said he would be available for questioning after a week.

"I have told them that I will come after the last week of February," he told reporters.

On Saturday, the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI summoned Sisodia for questioning, nearly three months after filing a chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy case. Sisodia has not been named as an accused in the charge sheet filed in the case.

Arrested businessmen Vijay Nair and Abhishek are among the seven accused named in the chargesheet.

Sisodia on Saturday alleged that the "full power" of agencies under the BJP-led central government had been unleashed to hound him, "CBI has called me again tomorrow. They have unleashed the full power of CBI, ED (Enforcement Directorate) against me, raided my house, searched my bank locker, and yet found nothing against me," he tweeted.

"I have arranged good education for the children of Delhi. They want to stop it. I have always cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so," he added.

Last year in August, the CBI conducted a search operation at Sisodia's Punjab National Bank locker in connection with Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 money laundering case, where according to him, the CBI had found nothing.

The probe was done after taking into account a report forwarded by the Chief Secretary to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommending a CBI investigation into the matter.

It has been alleged that the Delhi government's policy of granting licenses to liquor traders is in the interest of some dealers who allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly denied by AAP.

(With inputs from agencies)