Excise Policy scam: Sisodia says CBI issues Look Out Circular against him, agency says nothing ‘as of now’

'What is this drama Modi-ji? I am roaming freely in Delhi, tell me where I have to come. Are you unable to find me?,' Sisodia tweeted

The war of attrition between the AAP and BJP intensified on Sunday with Manish Sisodia claiming that the CBI has issued a Look Out Notice against him even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Deputy Chief Minister are all set to visit poll-bound Gujarat.

While the CBI has issued LOCs against eight “private persons” of the 13 people named in the FIR, the agency said it has not issued Look Out Circular (LOC) against Sisodia in the case related to the contentious Delhi excise policy but AAP chose it to raise its decibel levels, with its Rajya Sabha floor leader Sanjay Singh claiming that the look out notice will lead to BJP's "all out" in the 2024 elections.

Read | CBI raids residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia

The CBI is of the view that there is no need to issue LOCs against public servants as they cannot leave the country without intimating the government.

Exposing chinks in the Opposition, Congress too joined the war of words with its Social Media Department head Supriya Shrinate targeting the Kejriwal-led party, saying that the AAP was trying to use the education plank to hide from the liquor scam and that it would not succeed.

With the CBI action seen as BJP’s attempts to foreclose AAP’s political bid in the untested waters of poll-bound Gujarat in the immediate future and whatever national ambitions its harbours, AAP is not leaving any stone unturned to turn the tide in its favour with a high-voltage campaign in Gujarat with Kejriwal and Sisodia visiting there on Monday.

Sisodia said that the issuance of LOC was a “drama" as investigators "found nothing" after searches at his residence here on Friday, amid allegations of irregularities in formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy and that money changed hands for benefitting private liquor businesses financially.

"All your raids have failed, nothing was found. Misappropriation of even a single penny was not found. Now you have issued a lookout notice stating that Manish Sisodia cannot be found. What is this drama Modi-ji? I am roaming freely in Delhi, tell me where I have to come. Are you unable to find me?" he tweeted.

Though the CBI denied issuing an LOC, BJP Delhi MP Parvesh Verma told a press conference that two accused in the case fled the country as soon as the CBI started probing the matter and the LOC was issued to prevent others from fleeing.

Read | CBI raids trigger war of words between AAP and BJP

Soon after Sisodia's latest tweet on LoC, Kejriwal jumped to his defence by tweeting, "at a time when the common man is battling inflation and crores of youths are unemployed, the central government along with all state governments should fight unemployment and inflation. Instead, they are fighting with the entire country. Every morning they wake up and start the game of CBI-ED. How will the country progress like this."

Read | Close aides of Sisodia diverted bribes from liquor traders to public servants: CBI FIR on Delhi excise policy

AAP and Kejriwal got support from senior independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, a former Congress leader, who tweeted, "The “revdi culture” (freebie culture) debate has political overtones. CBI’s FIR against Sisodia. A minister’s statement to rope in Kejriwal. All this to combat the rise of AAP in Gujarat and elsewhere."

Sibal, whom sources had earlier claimed that Kejriwal had proposed as an Opposition Presidential candidate, was referring to the CBI actions and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur pointing fingers at the Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal in the case.

AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said the LOC was issued as the CBI could not find anything during the searches and shared with the media. "It is a very serious matter. Sisodia is not the kind of person who will run away. He is the man who would stand firmly and fight. Mr Prime Minister, wherever you call, he is ready to come. Or, you tell where you want to meet him. And if you want to come, you are welcome at AB 17 (Sisodia's residence in Delhi)," he added.

The latest round of attacks was initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month when he started a debate on ‘freebies’ promised by parties. While Modi did not specify any party, his remarks were read as a direct jibe at AAP, which was promising free power and education in Gujarat where BJP is in power.