Delhi Excise policy case: 'Preparing budget...' Dy CM Manish Sisodia requests CBI to defer questioning till Feb-end

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday for questioning in regard to irregularities in the excise policy case, requested the central agency to defer questioning stating that he is "preparing the budget" at present and can only appear before it towards February-end.

"I will visit the CBI office by the end of February, whenever they (CBI) will call me. Being the Finance Minister of Delhi, preparing the budget is very important, so I have requested to shift the date," he said.

"I have always cooperated with these agencies," he said.

While speaking to the media, Sisodia said that the BJP would have got him arrested.

On October 17, last year, the deputy chief minister in the Aam Aadmi Party government, who was also in charge of the Excise department, was questioned, and his home and bank lockers were searched in connection with the case.

The charge sheet mentioned seven defendants, including arrested businessmen Vijay Nair and Abhishek Boinpally. Sisodia, however, who was summoned for questioning on Sunday, is not named as an accused in the charge sheet.

The AAP leader is not named in the charge sheet because the investigation into him and other suspects is still ongoing.