New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was questioned for nearly nine hours by the CBI on Sunday as a witness in the excise policy case, amid protests by his party as the AAP chief claimed that the allegations of the scam were false and the agency was acting at the BJP’s behest.
“I was asked around 56 questions. I answered them all…as I said earlier, we have nothing to hide. The alleged liquor scam is false, fabricated and motivated by dirty politics… We will die but not give up honesty,” Kejriwal told reporters after leaving the CBI headquarters at around 8.30 pm.
The agency had summoned Kejriwal on Friday last seeking his appearance as a witness before the investigation team.
”The Chief Minister of Delhi was issued a notice under section 160 CrPC for his examination in this case on April 16, 2023 and answering various questions related to the case. He joined the investigation today and his statement has been recorded under section 161 CrPC,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement after questioning was over.
Kejriwal’s statement will be verified and collated with the available evidence, he said. Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) refers to recording the statement of a witness by a police officer. In a video message this morning, the Aam Aadmi Party chief, who received solidarity messages from several opposition leaders after being summoned by the agency, claimed that the BJP might have ordered the CBI to arrest him.
The BJP, which has alleged that Kejriwal was the ”kingpin”, said it was not the time for rhetoric but accountability and demanded his resignation.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said on Sunday that probe agencies such as CBI and ED work on the basis of facts, not emotions.
Officials said the CBI asked the chief minister about the (excise) policy formulation process, especially the ”untraceable” file, which was earlier slated to be put before the Council of Ministers.
PTI