Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed his deputy Manish Sisodia will be framed in a "fake case" by the Central Bureau of Investigation and arrested in a few days.
In an online press briefing, Kejriwal also said that he has known Sisodia for 22 years and he is a "hardcore honest" man. His remarks came after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses. Sisodia heads the Excise department of the Delhi government.
"I came to know that a case has been sent to the CBI against Manish Sisodia and they are going to arrest him in a few days. It is a completely fake case. There is not even an iota of truth in this case," Kejriwal said. "This case will not hold in court. Manish is a hardcore honest man and he will walk free," he said.
The chief minister said Aam Aadmi Party leaders are not afraid of going to jail as they have done nothing wrong. The CBI inquiry was recommended on Delhi Chief Secretary's report filed earlier this month, showing prima facie violations of GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials said.
The LG has found "substantive indications" of "financial quid pro quo" at the "top political level" wherein the excise minister "took and got executed major decisions in violation of the statutory provisions" and notified the Excise Policy that had "huge financial implications", according to sources.
