'Budget An Excuse, Real Aim Is To...': BJP On Sisodia's Request To Defer CBI Questioning In Liquor Policy Case

The Delhi BJP mocked Deputy CM Manish Sisodia after he urged the CBI to defer his questioning citing the city budget preparation. He also claimed that the central agency is going to arrest him.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday mocked Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after he urged the CBI to defer his questioning till the last week of February in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case as he is busy finalising the city budget.

"Budget is just an excuse, the real aim is to run away from questions Sisodia ji. Till yesterday they used to say that there was no scam, today the body language seemed nervous. Don't be afraid of facing tough questions," Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana remarked in a video.

Earlier in the day, Manish Sisodia informed,  "I have written to the CBI and asked for time for February last week as I am finalising the budget of Delhi and it is a crucial time. I have told them that I will come after the last week of February"

"It's my duty as finance minister to present the budget on time and I have been working 24 hours for it. I have requested the CBI to allow me to come after the last week of February and answer all their questions," he told reporters, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Speaking to news agency ANI, he defended his request to the CBI alleging that he knows the central agency is going to arrest him. "I've always cooperated with CBI, but this is a crucial time for Delhi as we've to prepare the budget and sent it to the Central Government by the end of February. I knew they would arrest me so I've asked CBI to give me time to finalise the budget," he claimed, as quoted by ANI.

Sisodia in a tweet on Saturday said that he has been called for questioning yet again, and he would continue cooperating in the investigation. "CBI has called again tomorrow. They have used the full power of CBI, ED against me, raided my house, searched bank locker, but nothing was found against me," he tweeted. "I have worked to provide good education of Delhi’s children and they want to stop it," he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister also claimed that nothing was found against him during searches.

The AAP leader has not been named as an accused in the charge sheet as the investigation against him and other suspects is still going on. 

The deputy chief minister in the Aam Aadmi Party government, who also held the charge of the Excise department, was earlier questioned on October 17 last year and his home and bank lockers were also searched in connection with the case.