Agencies
New Delhi, April 16:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before the CBI on Sunday for questioning in the excise policy scam case, officials said.
The agency had summoned him on Friday last seeking his appearance as a witness before the investigation team to answer their queries on the inputs generated during the probe in which his former deputy Manish Sisodia was also arrested on February 26, they said.
Kejriwal arrived in his car at the heavily fortified CBI headquarters, where the Delhi Police has put in place four rings of barricading to prevent any possible protests by the Aam Admi Party leaders and supporters.
The CBI has kept Sunday for questioning as the neighbourhood, which consists of complexes having government offices, remains closed, thus causing the least inconvenience to the officials coming here.
After his arrival at the agency headquarters at 11:10 AM, Kejriwal was taken to the first floor office of the Anti-Corruption Branch of the CBI, which is probing the matter. Senior officials of the agency remained present in the office on Sunday to keep an eye on the development, a normal course whenever a VIP comes to the agency, they said.
During the day, which will also include a lunch break, the CBI may ask the chief minister about the policy formulation process, especially the “untraceable” file, which was earlier slated to be put before the Council of Ministers, they said.
They said the file containing opinions of the expert committee and public and legal opinions on it was not kept before the council and remains untraceable.
The agency may also quiz Kejriwal on the statements of other accused, where they have indicated the manner in which policy was allegedly influenced to favour some liquor businessmen and the South liquor lobby, they said.