Excise policy case: Sisodia skips CBI date, agency to issue fresh summon

The CBI is set to issue a new date to summon Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the Excise Policy money laundering case, as per an official on Sunday.
CBI sumoned Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Sunday for questioning in regard to irregularities in the excise policy case. Hwever, Sisodia requested that the central agency defer the questioning, saying that he is “preparing the budget” at present and could only appear before it towards February-end.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has again summoned Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for questioning, nearly three months after filing a chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy case, officials said.
However, Manish Sisodia has not been named as an accused in the charge sheet filed in the case.
Arrested businessmen Vijay Nair and Abhishek are among the seven accused named in the chargesheet.
Alleging that the “full power” of agencies under the BJP-led central government had been unleashed to hound him, Manish Sisodia took to Twitter and said, “CBI has called me again tomorrow. “They have unleashed the full power of the CBI and ED (Enforcement Directorate) against me, raided my house, searched my bank locker, and yet found nothing against me.”
 The CBI had summoned Sisodia for questioning regarding alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, to which the deputy CM responded by asking the federal agency to call him anytime after February-end because he was busy preparing the national capital’s Budget.
“I’ll go to the CBI office after February if they (the CBI) call me.” As the Finance Minister, I am responsible for preparing the Budget. It is very important. Hence, I have requested that the CBI set a new date to summon me. “I have always cooperated with the agencies,” Sisodia told media earlier on Sunday.