New Delhi: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Sambit Patra said on Sunday that the Aam Aadmi Party and its leaders gave no reason for revoking the excise policy.
“Today, every child of Delhi knows that Aam Aadmi Party and Manish Sisodia increased the wholesale commission of liquor from 2 per cent to 12 per cent in order to get their commission so that Aam Aadmi Party can earn big money,” Patra said at a press conference following the arrest of Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.
Patra further said: “It’s unfortunate that a Minister of Education was arrested for Excise policy. It’s an eye-opening and shocking matter. Manish Sisodia played with the lives of the children.”
“Before 2014, Kejriwal ji used to say that we will go to every neighborhood in Delhi, and ask women what do you want. If women say that liquor shops should be closed, then they will be closed,” he added.
“We asked why blacklisted companies, which could not be allocated contracts, were given contracts. Besides, we asked many questions regarding irregularities and corruption. However, the AAP evaded these questions and failed to provide any answers,” said Patra.
“Not a single reason was given for withdrawing the Excise policy by the AAP and its leaders”, Patra added.
After over eight hours of questioning, the CBI arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday evening in connection with suspected corruption in the drafting and implementation of the now-cancelled excise policy for 2021-22.
At about 11.12 am, Sisodia arrived at the strongly fortified CBI office for the second round of questioning on Sunday after paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in the national capital. He was summoned last Sunday but requested a postponement of his questioning citing the Budget exercise, after which the CBI asked him to appear on February 26.
Sisodia, the first accused in the CBI FIR in the case, was previously questioned on October 17, a month before the agency filed its charge sheet on November 25 of last year.
