Manish Sisodia cited budget preparations as the reason for the deferment request.
Soon after Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia wrote to the Central Bureau of Investigation requesting one more week to appear before it in connection with alleged corruption in the now-shelved policy of liquor sales in the national capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party has called it an excuse to run away from questions. Manish Sisodia, while requesting deferment, said preparing the budget was "very important" to him as the Finance Minister of Delhi, and that he would visit the probe agency by the end of this month.
Taunting Mr Sisodia, who is in charge of Delhi's excise department, BJP's Delhi spokesperson Harish Khurana said he looked nervous from his body language. He also questioned why Mr Sisodia scrapped the excise policy after the Lieutenant Governor ordered an investigation into it. Manish Sisodia has earlier said the policy was going to be cancelled because the BJP was using the investigating agencies it controls to intimidate vendors.
"Budget is just an excuse, the real aim is to run away from the questions @msisodia
Till yesterday, they used to say that there was no scam, today the body language seemed nervous.
Are you afraid of being asked tough questions?" he tweeted in Hindi.
Mr Sisodia's request for more time may not be accepted, CBI sources have said, adding that he had confirmed last evening that he would visit the central probe agency's office in Delhi this morning. But around 8.45 am, the CBI received a letter in which he requested for at least a week's time to appear before the agency, sources said.
The Deputy Chief Minister's request has been forwarded to the CBI Director, who now has to take a call on whether he will allow the deferment request.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Mr Sisodia said, "I will visit the CBI office by the end of February, whenever they will call me. Being the Finance Minister of Delhi, preparing the budget is very important, so I have requested to shift the date. I have always cooperated with these agencies." He said that this is a "crucial time" for Delhi.
Mr Sisodia is scheduled to visit the CBI headquarters at south Delhi's Lodhi Road around 11 am. "CBI has called me again tomorrow (Sunday). They have unleashed the full power of CBI, ED (Enforcement Directorate) against me, raided my house, searched my bank locker, and yet found nothing against me," he tweeted yesterday.
Mr Sisodia, the deputy of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and others face corruption allegations in bringing a new liquor sale policy in the national capital. Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had ordered the CBI probe last year.