CBI visits Delhi govt’s info and publicity dept headed by Sisodia

The CBI preliminary enquiry has been initiated against Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and unnamed officials for alleged irregularities in awarding contract for the government’s social media campaign, Talk To AK.

A CBI team visited Delhi government’s information and publicity department on Thursday in connection with a preliminary enquiry (PE) initiated by the agency into the alleged irregularities in ‘Talk To AK’ campaign by the department last year.

The CBI preliminary enquiry has been initiated against Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and unnamed officials for alleged irregularities in awarding contract for the government’s social media campaign, Talk To AK. (PTI)

The preliminary enquiry has been initiated against deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who heads the DIP, and unnamed officials for alleged irregularities in awarding contract for the social media campaign.

A CBI official said a team visited the DIP office to “seek and collect documents and no search or raid was conducted during the process”.

The CBI on Wednesday initiated PE against Sisodia and health minister Satyendar Jain’s daughter, Saumya, in two separate cases. The probe was initiated against Saumya, who was appointed an adviser to the Delhi government for its mohalla clinic project that is aimed at boosting primary health care in the city’s neighbourhoods.

Both cases were referred to the central agency when Najeeb Jung was lieutenant governor of the national capital. Jung resigned last month.

“A CBI team reaches DIP office. Modi ji, I was waiting since morning in my office and residence. Modi ji, such threats through CBI won’t be able to spare drug lord Majithia, your favourite in Punjab. His countdown has begun,” Sisodia said in a series of tweets, soon after the team reached his department office.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is on campaign trail in Punjab, reacted saying the Prime Minister has “turned both CBI and RBI into laughing stocks (sic)”.

Delhi government sources said the CBI team arrived at DIP office around 4 pm and stayed till late evening. “They were seeking general information about the department functioning and documents related to the advertisement campaign,” a DIP staff said.