Delhi Excise scam case: CBI summons Manish Sisodia on Monday at 11 am; Kejriwal calls him Bhagat Singh

The CBI has summoned Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday for questioning in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy for the national capital, officials said.

The federal probe agency has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to appear before it at its headquarters at 11 am on Monday, they added.

In a tweet on Sunday, 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. Satyameva Jayate."

The Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also reacted to the news and tweeted, "Jail bars and hanging noose could not deter Bhagat Singh's lofty intentions. This is the second fight for freedom. Manish and Satyendra are today's Bhagat Singh. 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"

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) 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 officials said.

Arrest of Vijay Nair

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, they said.

The CBI had registered an FIR in a special court here in August 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.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommends CBI probe

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had 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, the officials said.