Sisodia, Jain are today's Bhagat Singh: Kejriwal on CBI summons in excise case

With the CBI issuing summons to his deputy, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday termed his government's fight with the Centre as the "second freedom struggle"', and compared AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain to martyr Bhagat Singh. Kejriwal also said that prayers of crores of poor people are with them.

His remarks came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoned Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia for questioning on Monday in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy.

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


"Jail bars and hanging noose could not deter Bhagat Singh's resolute 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," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

Reacting to the development, Sisodia said he will fully cooperate.

"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," Sisodia tweeted.

The CBI has questioned a number of people, including Sameer Mahandru, 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 agency has arrested Vijay Nair, an AAP worker and a former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company, and Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally, whose partner Arun Pillai has been named as an accused in the CBI FIR, they said.