'Ye azadi ki dusri ladai hai': Kejriwal after CBI summons Sisodia in Delhi Excise scam case

The CBI has summoned Arvind Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia on Monday for questioning in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday (October 16, 2022) reacted to the CBI summoning his Deputy Manish Sisodia for questioning in connection with alleged corruption in the excise policy for the national capital and called it "the second fight for freedom". The federal probe agency has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to appear before it at its headquarters in Delhi at 11 am on Monday. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal compared AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain to martyr Bhagat Singh.

"Jail bars and hangman's noose could not deter Bhagat Singh's resolute intentions. This is the second fight for freedom. Manish and Satyendar are today's Bhagat Singh," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

"After 75 years, the country got an education minister who gave good education to the poor and gave hope for a bright future. Prayers of crores of poor are with you," he added.

Earlier in the day, Sisodia said, "CBI raid was conducted at my house for 14 hours, nothing came out. Searched my bank locker, nothing came out in it. They did not find anything in my village. Now they have called me to CBI Headquarters at 11 am tomorrow. I will go and give my full cooperation."

जेल की सलाख़ें और फाँसी का फंदा भगत सिंह के बुलंद इरादों को डिगा नहीं पाये

ये आज़ादी की दूसरी लड़ाई है।मनीष और सत्येंद्र आज के भगत सिंह है

75 साल बाद देश को एक शिक्षा मंत्री मिला जिसने ग़रीबों को अच्छी शिक्षा देकर सुनहरे भविष्य की उम्मीद दी

करोड़ों ग़रीबों की दुआएँ आपके साथ है https://t.co/slc3lb1Mqp

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 16, 2022

The agency has questioned a number of people, including Sameer Mahendru, the owner of Indo Spirits, Amit Arora, the director of Buddy Retail Private Limited in Gurugram, and India Ahead News managing director Mootha Gautam, in connection with the case.

The agency has also arrested Vijay Nair, an AAP worker and the former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company, and Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally.

In August this year, the CBI had registered an FIR in a special court in Delhi against Sisodia and 14 others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of records), and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which deals with taking undue advantage to influence a public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by the exercise of personal influence.

The step was taken after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy, which was brought out in November last year.

Subsequently, the Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn in July by the Delhi government 

(With agency inputs)