When will CBI probe ‘source of money for operation lotus’ in Delhi: Sisodia asks Nadda

PTI, Aug 30, 2022, 6:51 PM IST

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday claimed he has answered all questions posed by the BJP about the excise policy and CVC report on classrooms and asked its chief JP Nadda when will the CBI probe the ”source of money for operation lotus” in Delhi.

Speaking in the Delhi assembly, Sisodia also dubbed the BJP a ”bacha chor” party while referring to the arrest of a BJP corporator in an alleged child kidnapping case.

After completion of CBI search of his lockers in a Punjab National Bank in Ghaziabad, Sisodia spoke in the assembly and said he has got a ”clean chit” from the federal probe agency.

He also asked Nadda to answer when will the CBI launch a probe in corruption allegations against Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

Sisodia claimed that the money earned through Goods and services Tax (GST) imposed on food items such as curd, milk, lassi, honey was used by the Centre to waive loans of its billionaire friends.

”We have answered all questions of the Opposition. We can’t answer lies being thrown by them. I want JP Nadda to answer my three questions when will CBI probe GST on food items like curd, lassi; source of money for operation lotus and Rs 1400 crore money laundering by LG VK Saxena?” Sisodia asked in the House.

The AAP has accused Saxena of pressuring two of his subordinates to get demonetised currency notes worth Rs 1,400 crore exchanged during his term as the Khadi and Village Industries Commission chairman in 2016.

The House was adjourned for the day till 11 am on Wednesday after Sisodia’s address.

He also said that false news was planted that property papers were found from his locker during a CBI search.

”I have got clean chit from CBI. CBI people said they were satisfied with their probe in which nothing has been found, yet they are under pressure to arrest me. Only items worth Rs 70,000-Rs 80,000 including ‘jhunjuna’ (a toy) of my son was found in the locker by CBI,” he said in the House.

Sisodia and his wife were present as a four-member CBI team conducted a search of his locker at the Punjab National Bank branch in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of the national capital.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader is among the 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the agency in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of Delhi government’s Excise Policy 2021-22.

Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla marshalled outs all BJP MLAs except Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who also walked out in protest over uproar over Sisodia’s ”baccha chor party” remarks for the saffron party.

Sisodia was referring to the arrest of the BJP corporator and seven others in connection with the recovery of a seven-month-old child who was stolen from a platform of the Mathura junction six days ago.