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CBI, ED torturing people to get favourable statements: Kejriwal on summons
Stating that he will appear before the probe agency on Sunday, Kejriwal during a press conference at his residence on Saturday said, “If the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] has asked the CBI to arrest me, how will the CBI disobey them.”
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are “torturing witnesses and accused persons to get favourable statements and sign some documents to indict AAP [Aam Aadmi Party] leaders”.
“Since no scam has been committed, people are being tortured to give incriminating statements,” Kejriwal said.
His comments came a day after being summoned by the central agency for questioning on Sunday in the alleged irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy scam.
The AAP chief has been called for questioning as a witness at 11am on Sunday to seek clarifications on claims from witnesses and accused persons.
Stating that he will appear before the probe agency on Sunday, Kejriwal during a press conference at his residence on Saturday said, “If the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] has asked the CBI to arrest me, how will the CBI disobey them.”
Also Read: Kejriwal summoned by CBI in excise case
He said witnesses and accused are being “caught, and tortured” by the federal agencies and claimed that he knows at least five persons who have been tortured.
He showed what he claimed to be the medical reports of one Chandan Reddy, who suffered hearing loss due to a beating in September year by the agency.
Targeting prime minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal said: “I want to tell PM Modi, that if Arvind Kejriwal is corrupt, then no one in this world is honest. The issue is not corruption or its probe at all. How can corruption be an issue for the PM who is himself immersed in corruption?”
He further claimed that the so-called “excise probe” by the central agency was nothing but part of a witch-hunt against the AAP government.
“No party has been targeted since independence the way AAP has been. Manish Sisodia was arrested and now they are trying to get me. AAP has given hope to the country which no party could give in 75 years. BJP has ruled Gujarat for 30 years, but they could not improve a single government school. In five years, we have transformed all government schools in Delhi. AAP has given hope to the people that poverty can be eradicated, and people can get good education and jobs. PM Modi wants to crush that hope,” Kejriwal said.
Claiming that the entire excise case was built based on baseless charges, Kejriwal said, “I say that I paid ₹1,000 crore to PM Narendra Modi on September 17 at 7pm. Will the PM be arrested based on this claim? I should have some evidence. They have been alleging that ₹100 crore was paid to AAP. But, where is that ₹100 crore? There is no evidence, no proof.”
“They alleged that ₹100 crore was spent on Goa polls (by AAP). All vendors hired by AAP were raided, but they found nothing because we made all payments (to the Goa poll vendors) through cheques,” said Kejriwal.
He further said that the excise policy was an excellent policy and could have eradicated corruption from the liquor business. “The same policy was implemented in Punjab where AAP has a majority government, and it has led to around 50% growth in excise revenue in Punjab in just one year,” Kejriwal claimed.
No immediate reaction was available from CBI and ED on the charges levelled by Kejriwal.
CBI summoned Kejriwal for questioning on Sunday in the agency’s probe into alleged irregularities in Delhi’s now-scrapped 2021-22 excise policy.
To be sure, Kejriwal has been summoned as a “witness” in the case, said the people cited above.
Also Read: ‘If I am a thief, then no one...’: Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘imandar’ barb at PM
His deputy Manish Sisodia is already facing a probe in the case and was arrested by the CBI on February 26 and March 9, respectively. Sisodia is currently lodged in a jail in Delhi.
The CBI registered a first information report (FIR) on August 17, 2022, over alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation excise policy case given to it by the central government.
Kejriwal has not been named as an accused in the CBI FIR but his name came up during the questioning of some of the accused and witnesses. Several businessmen besides Sisodia and AAP’s communication in-charge Vijay Nair have been so far arrested in the case.
Responding to Kejriwal’s claims BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Kejriwal started trembling with fear soon after he was summoned by CBI.
“It is quite clear that Kejriwal is the kingpin of the liquor scam,” Bhatia alleged.
The BJP spokesperson also asked CM Kejriwal if he was the chairman of the meeting in which the liquor scam was hatched.
“As the chain of scams is getting linked, the handcuffs are reaching you,” Bhatia said.
Also Read: Kejriwal well-regarded person and people know...: Nitish Kumar on CBI summons
Bhatia also challenged Kejriwal to take a polygraph test. “Arvind Kejriwal ji, if you are not afraid of anything, then answer the questions that are asked... If your own standards are imposed on you, then take a polygraph test... take a lie detector test... everything will be clear,” said Bhatia.
BJP has also targeted Kejriwal by saying that the Delhi chief minister was not only involved in the scam but was its “mastermind”.
