The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has listed Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia among 15 accused in its FIR into alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise policy. The central agency on Friday searched 21 locations, including the residence of Sisodia.
The searches at the AAP leader's home, the residence of IAS officer and former excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna and 30 other places came after the CBI registered an FIR for alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise policy brought out in November last year, officials said.
The searches covered seven states and union territories.
The premises of two other public servants were also searched, the officials said.
As a CBI team reached Sisodia's residence in the morning, he took to Twitter to welcome the CBI, saying conspiracies will not break him nor deter his resolve to continue to work for providing good education.
Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena last month recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the implementation of Delhi's Excise Policy 2021-22. He suspended 11 excise officials in the matter.
Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia had also demanded a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the policy.
The searches by the CBI covered seven states and union territories.
CM Kejriwal, AAP leaders react to raids on colleague's residence
At a press conference on Friday, Kejriwal hailed Sisodia as the "world's best education minister" after his name was featured on the front page of the New York Times and claimed the "obstacles" like the CBI raids will not deter them from their mission to make India the "number one country". "The CBI has been asked from above to harass us," he alleged.
AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh said the alleged irregularities in the formulation of excise policy are just "an excuse" to put the CBI after Sisodia. "The real issue here is the growing popularity of Arvind Kejriwal and his Delhi model of governance in education and healthcare," he said. "Preparations are underway to put Sisodia behind bars as the prime minister is not able to sleep at night due to the growing popularity of Kejriwal and his Delhi model of governance in education and healthcare sectors," Singh charged.
Days after Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain, who gave the Delhi model of mohalla clinic to the world, was jailed by the Enforcement Directorate, the prime minister has put the CBI after Sisodia, the AAP charged.
(With PTI inputs)