Manish Sisodia also heads the vigilance department of Delhi government
The Centre has given a go-ahead to the CBI to launch a probe against Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in an alleged case of snooping on rival parties.
Mr Sisodia, already facing a CBI probe in the Delhi liquor policy case, hit back sharply at the latest development, saying that filing false cases against rivals is a sign of a "weak" and "coward" person. He said more such cases will be filed as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) grows.
The CBI had summoned Mr Sisodia last Sunday for questioning in the liquor policy case, but he sought more time, saying that he also holds the finance portfolio and was preparing the Budget. He later told the media that he feared that the CBI would arrest him and that would derail the Budget preparations. He has been called again this Sunday.
In the latest case, the CBI had sought permission to register an FIR against Mr Sisodia, who also heads the vigilance department of Delhi government. It is alleged that a "Feedback Unit", set up by the AAP government in 2015 under the Vigilance department, was used to spy on ministries, Opposition parties, entities and individuals.
"This snooping unit, with no legislative or judicial oversight, was allegedly being run and managed by the close aides and advisors of CM Arvind Kejriwal, who reported directly to him. The case also pertains to illegal/unaccounted expenditure in the name of Secret Service Fund allocated to the FBU," a CBI source quoted by news agency ANI said.
Following a CBI report in the matter, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had referred the case to the President through the Ministry of Home Affairs The ministry has now communicated to the Lieutenant Governor's office that CBI can proceed with the investigation.
The "Feedback Unit" was reportedly set up with the objective to strengthen the vigilance establishment and gather feedback on the working of government departments and autonomous institutions.
In 2016, following a complaint by an officer of the Directorate of Vigilance, the CBI conducted a preliminary inquiry.
The agency, it is learnt, said in its report that besides the assigned job, the "Feedback Unit" collected intelligence on political activities of persons and issues aligned with AAP's political interest.
The report also stated that the "unlawful" functioning of the unit caused loss to the public exchequer.
Welcoming the go-ahead of CBI, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva demanded the immediate arrest of Mr Sisodia and an investigation against AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too.
AAP's Durgesh Pathak said the BJP is after the AAP and Mr Sisodia. "Their only talk is to file false cases and frame AAP leaders. Modiji is scared of AAP's rise," he said.