CBI Refutes Delhi DY CM Manish Sisodia’s ‘Quit AAP’ Claims

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday refuted the claims made by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia of being asked to quit the Aam Aadmi Party during his nine-hour questioning by the agency.

The CBI said that the questioning was carried out in a ‘professional and legal manner’. It affirmed that the investigation will continue as per the law.

Sisodia, after being quizzed, claimed that he was asked to leave the AAP during the probe in the CBI office.

"Some sections of the media have aired a video in which, after leaving the CBI office, Manish Sisodia has stated on camera that during his questioning in CBI, he was threatened to leave his political party and similar such insinuations. CBI strongly refutes these allegations and reiterates that the examination of Sisodia was carried out in a professional and legal manner strictly as per the allegations against him in the FIR. The investigation of the case will continue as per law," the statement said.

The probe agency said that the questioning of Sisodia was "strictly on the allegations in the FIR" and the evidence collected so far during the course of the investigation in the excise policy case.

"He was examined strictly on the allegations in the FIR and the evidence collected so far during the course of the investigation. His statement will be verified in due course and further action taken as per requirements of investigation," it added.

Sisodia was summoned on Monday at the CBI headquarters in the national capital where he was quizzed for nine hours.

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After the questioning, speaking to the media at his residence, Sisodia alleged that the case against him was intended not to probe any scam but to "make Operation Lotus successful in Delhi".

"Today I saw in the CBI office that there's no issue of any scam (excise policy case). The whole case is fake. I understood all that in the 9 hour-questioning today. The case isn't to probe any scam against me, but to make Operation Lotus successful in Delhi," he alleged.

Sisodia further claimed that he was asked inside the CBI office to leave AAP and said that he was offered to be made the Chief Minister.

"I was asked inside the CBI office to leave (AAP), or else such cases will keep getting registered against me. I was told 'Satyendar Jain ke upar konse sachhe cases hain?'...I said I won't leave AAP for BJP. They said they'll make me CM," he alleged.

According to a CBI official, the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister has not been summoned on Tuesday, however, he could be summoned again later.
"CBI will evaluate the answers given by (Delhi Dy CM) Manish Sisodia and if needed, he will be summoned again later. No summons to Sisodia for tomorrow," a CBI official said on Monday.

(with inputs from ANI)

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