Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took to Twitter to allege that the Bharatiya Janata Party asked him to join them, following which all CBI and ED cases against him will be dropped. Sisodia tweeted that he would rather be beheaded than join the BJP. “I have received a message from the BJP -- Leave AAP and join BJP. We will ensure that all cases by CBI and ED against you are shut,” Sisodia said in a tweet.
“My reply to the BJP is - I am a descendant of Maharana Pratap, a Rajput. I will cut off my head but will not bow down to the corrupt and conspirators. All the cases against me are false," he added, daring the BJP to “do what you want to”.
The AAP leader is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.
Last week, the CBI raided 31 locations including Sisodia's residence in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22. The CBI raids came after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena last month recommended a probe by the agency into the alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the policy that came into effect on November 17 last year.
The central agency is probing allegations of quid pro quo against Sisodia, some bureaucrats and private players in the liquor business.
These allegations include granting a Rs 143.46 crore waiver to liquor lobby that sought license fee tender and another Rs 30 crore waiver to liquor licensees instead of forfeiting the licenses. Other allegations that the CBI is probing include tweaking of the excise policy, reducing the prices of imported beer and giving more time to previous license holders.