'When You Go To Jail For The Country...': Kejriwal's Message To Manish Sisodia Ahead Of CBI Questioning

AAP leader Manish Sisodia has been called for questioning by the CBI in connection with the federal agency's probe into the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

New Delhi: Amid apprehensions of his deputy Manish Sisodia's arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday (February 26, 2023) said that going to jail for the country and the society is "not a curse" but a "matter of pride". Taking to his official Twitter account, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief told Sisodia that the blessings of lakhs of children and their parents are with him.

"God is with you, Manish. The blessings of lakhs of children and their parents are with you. When you go to jail for the country and the society, it is not a curse but a matter of pride. I pray to god that you return from jail soon. Delhi's children, their parents, and all of us will wait for you," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

भगवान आपके साथ है मनीष। लाखों बच्चों और उनके पेरेंट्स की दुआयें आपके साथ हैं। जब आप देश और समाज के लिए जेल जाते हैं तो जेल जाना दूषण नहीं, भूषण होता है। प्रभू से कामना करता हूँ कि आप जल्द जेल से लौटें। दिल्ली के बच्चे, पैरेंट्स और हम सब आपका इंतज़ार करेंगे। https://t.co/h8VrIIYRTz — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 26, 2023

Sisodia has been called for questioning by the CBI in connection with the federal agency's probe into the alleged excise policy scam.

'I can go to jail a number of times, I am not afraid': Manish Sisodia ahead of CBI questioning

Ahead of his questioning in the excise policy case, Manish Sisodia on Sunday said he will fully cooperate with the CBI and asserted that he does not care if he has to go to jail over "false allegations".

"I can go to jail a number of times and I am not afraid. When I left my job as a journalist, my wife supported me and even today, my family is standing by my side. My workers will take care of my family if I get arrested," Sisodia told reporters at Raj Ghat.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio in the Delhi government, said that students must continue to work hard and that if he goes to jail, he will still be keeping a tab on their performance.

"I want to tell the students that they should continue to work hard and study well. Even if I go to jail, I will keep a tab on the performance of the students," the AAP leader added.

CBI दफ़्तर जाने से पहले दिल्ली के लोगों से मेरा संबोधन | LIVE https://t.co/ZOR4gaDnYm

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) February 26, 2023

Earlier in the day, he had taken to his official Twitter account and said that he "will fully cooperate in the probe".

"Today, I am going to the CBI. Will fully cooperate in the probe. I have the love of lakhs of children and crores of countrymen with me. Even if I have to go to jail for a few months, I do not care. We are followers of Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh died for the country. If I have to go to jail over such false allegations, it is a small thing," Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi.

आज फिर CBI जा रहा हूँ, सारी जाँच में पूरा सहयोग करूँगा. लाखों बच्चो का प्यार व करोड़ो देशवासियो का आशीर्वाद साथ है
कुछ महीने जेल में भी रहना पड़े तो परवाह नहीं. भगत सिंह के अनुयायी हैं, देश के लिए भगत सिंह फाँसी पर चढ़ गए थे. ऐसे झूठे आरोपों की वजह से जेल जाना तो छोटी सी चीज़ है — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) February 26, 2023

He also visited Raj Ghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

CBI दफ़्तर जाने के पहले, राजघाट पर बापू का आशीर्वाद लेने आया हूँ | LIVE https://t.co/tnFfqYUCTY — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) February 26, 2023

Sisodia, who also holds the Finance portfolio in the Delhi Cabinet, was originally summoned last Sunday but he sought deferment of his questioning citing the ongoing Budget exercise, following which, the CBI had asked him to appear on February 26.