Delhi Excise Case: CBI To Question Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Tomorrow, Read What All He Could Be Asked

Amid defiance from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to question Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday in the Delhi excise case. 

Earlier on Friday, the CBI issued a summon to Kejriwal to appear before it on Sunday. The AAP termed the summon a "conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal". Former Delhi Deputy CM and AAP leader Manish Sisodia is already jailed in the case. He held the excise portfolio in the Delhi Cabinet at the time when alleged irregularities happened in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

Besides CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also running an investigation into the Delhi excise case. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed the investigations as signs of corruption in Kejriwal-led party, the AAP has termed it as a misuse of federal investigative agencies by the Union government. 

What we know of Kejriwal's summon?

The CBI Friday summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on April 16 in connection with the excise policy scam case, in which his former deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested last month.

According to the notice issued by the CBI, Kejriwal has been called to appear at the agency headquarters at 11 AM on Sunday to answer queries of the investigating team as a witness in the case, officials said.

Kejriwal is not being called as an accused but as an accused, reported PTI, citing sources.

The CBI is bracing for an elaborate security arrangement around its headquarters and hence kept the questioning day on Sunday, when offices in the vicinity remain closed. Delhi Police will deploy over 1,000 security personnel, including paramilitary forces, outside the CBI headquarters to ensure the safety of Kejriwal, summoned by the agency on Sunday in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy, officials said.

Security will also be tightened outside the Aam Aadmi Party office in Rouse Avenue, said officials. An adequate number of barricades will also be placed on the streets at both these places to ensure AAP workers and supporters do not create any trouble, a senior police official said.

What is CBI expected to ask Kejriwal?

The CBI will question Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday on crucial points related to its probe in the excise policy scam in which his former deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested by the agency on February 26, officials said. 

Officials said the agency may ask him about the policy formulation process especially of the "untraceable" file which was earlier slated to be put before the Council of Ministers. They added that the file containing opinion of expert committee and public and legal opinions on it was not kept before the council and remains untraceable.
 
The agency may also quiz Kejriwal on the statements of other accused where they have indicated the manner in which policy was allegedly influenced to favour some liquor businessmen and the South liquor lobby, said officials. In addition, the agency may also seek his role in the formulation of the excise policy and his knowledge about alleged influence being cast by the traders and South lobby members, the officials said. 

Kejriwal may also be asked if he was involved in the formulation of the policy before it was given approval, said officials.

CBI sources said there may be other topics on which his replies could be sought.

What's the Delhi excise policy case?

The case is related to the alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The CBI is looking into the criminal aspects of the case and ED is looking into the money laundry aspects of the case.

The CBI had arrested the former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in connection with the case on February 26 following which another case was registered against him related to alleged irregularities in the Feedback Unit. Sisodia was last month arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and is in judicial custody.

Using digital forensics, the CBI had recovered some chats showing that the South lobby was allegedly involved in the tweaking of the excise policy in their favour, the officials claimed. The CBI also found that the first application of the Indospirit group was dominated by the South lobby, a group of politicians and liquor traders based in Hyderabad, they said, adding some objections were raised after which the group submitted a second application.

The CBI alleged that Sisodia immediately directed excise department officials to grant the licence to the group on the basis of the second application, whereas there was no reason for him to know that another application was filed by it.

"The investigation conducted in this case so far is alleged to have revealed that the above accused Manish Sisodia has played an active role in commission of the alleged offences as he being a Member of the Group of Ministers as well as the Excise Minister had manipulated certain changes in the cabinet note, which was prepared on draft policy and was put up along with the expert committee report and the comments taken an opinions received from the general public and stakeholders, with some ulterior motives and designs and to help some stakeholders of the excise policy in achieving the illegal objective of cartelization and monopoly in the sale of liquor in Delhi during the above year," Special Judge MK Nagpal had noted in his order in March.

It was alleged that it was done because of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90­-100 crore paid by the South liquor lobby to co-­accused Vijay Nair, he had observed.

The special judge said some specific oral as well as documentary evidence to this effect is stated to have surfaced during investigation conducted so far to substantiate the above allegation as well allegations related to destruction of evidence.

(With PTI inputs)