On April 16, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in connection with the liquor policy scam case, in which former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in February. The BJP reacted to the summons by accusing Kejriwal of being the “mastermind” behind the alleged scam, and claiming that he will soon join Sisodia in jail. Kejriwal held a press conference on April 17, in which he accused the BJP of conspiring against him and trying to silence opposition. AAP also accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal in the CBI headquarters.
The now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 is at the center of the controversy. LG VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation, and in light of this, Kejriwal has been asked to appear before the CBI at its headquarters on April 16 to answer queries. The policy allegedly favored certain liquor dealers and the South lobby, and it is alleged that money raised from these activities was used by AAP for election purposes.
While Kejriwal has been accused of involvement in the scam, AAP has described the investigation as a “move by Modi government to obstruct good works of Delhi government in health and education sectors” and said that the BJP is trying to silence opposition. Despite the opposition’s allegations, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have continued their probe into the excise policy, and Kejriwal’s questioning is expected to shed more light on the case.
