Hours ahead of his appearance before the CBI in the Delhi liquor policy case, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia invoked freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and said he was not scared of going to jail.
“Going to CBI again today, will cooperate fully in the investigation. The love of lakhs of children and the blessings of crores of countrymen is with me. I don’t care if I have to spend a few months in jail. I am a follower of Bhagat Singh, Bhagat Singh hanged to death for the country. Go to jail for such false allegations is not a big deal,” he tweeted 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
Mr Sisodia was to appear before the central probe agency last Sunday, but he sought more time. He had then said that as Delhi’s Finance Minister, he was busy prepping the budget and his arrest at this point would derail that work. The agency then issued a fresh summons for today.
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
Retweeting Mr Sisodia’s post, Chief Minister and AAP supremo Manish Sisodia said “God is with you”. “God is with you, Manish. The prayers of lakhs of children and their parents are with you. It is an honour when you go to jail for the country and the society. I pray to the almighty that you return from jail soon. Delhi’s children, parents and all of us will wait for you.”
Mr Sisodia is being investigated by the CBI for alleged corruption in bringing a new liquor sale policy in the national capital. He is yet to be named an accused in the charge sheet filed by the agency.
Last year, the agency raided his home.
Separately, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also launched a probe, alleging money laundering, and claimed a liquor lobby dubbed the “South Group” paid at least ₹ 100 crore in kickbacks to AAP for its Goa election campaign via one of the arrested businessmen.
They have also questioned K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and arrested her former accountant.