BJP ‘using’ Anna Hazare as CBI found nothing against Sisodia, claims Kejriwal

PTI, Aug 30, 2022, 8:50 PM IST

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday slammed the BJP following Anna Hazare’s letter to him over the liquor policy, alleging it was ”using” the social activist since the CBI found nothing in the probe involving his deputy Manish Sisodia.

He claimed the CBI has given an ”informal clean chit” to the Delhi deputy chief minister but may arrest him within a week or 10 days under political pressure. Kejriwal also claimed ”people don’t believe the BJP”.

Hazare on Tuesday wrote a letter to Kejriwal, slamming his government’s Excise Policy 2021-22 and said it seems the Delhi chief minister has ”sunk into the addiction of power.” He also said it seems the new policy will encourage liquor sales and consumption and spur corruption.

Last month, Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of Delhi’s Excise Policy 2021-22. Immediately after that, the Delhi government repealed the new policy.

Kejriwal said the BJP termed him a ”terrorist” during the Punjab Assembly elections and ”when no one believed them they brought in Kumar Viswas”.

”Now they are using Anna Hazare to target my government,” he alleged.

The CBI raided Sisodia’s residence and checked his bank locker but found nothing incriminating, he said.

”Sisodia has been informally given a clean chit by the CBI but will be arrested in a week or 10 days under political pressure. They (BJP) are using Anna Hazare as people don’t believe in their liquor scam charge,” Kejriwal said.

A four-member team of the CBI conducted the search at a Punjab National Bank branch in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, for nearly two hours. Sisodia and his wife were present at the time.

After the CBI team went through his locker for about two hours, Sisodia said the probe agency has given him a ”clean chit”. The CBI was acting under pressure, he told reporters.

The Aam Aadmi Party 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 the Delhi government’s Excise Policy 2021-22.