'Not afraid of going to jail', Sisodia ahead of CBI questioning in excise case

New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday said he will fully cooperate with the CBI probe in the excise policy case, and asserted that he does not care if he has to go to jail over "false allegations".

“I can go to jail a number of times and I am not afraid. When I left my job as a journalist, my wife supported me and even today, my family is standing by my side. My workers will take care of my family if I get arrested,” Sisodia told reporters at Raj Ghat before going to the CBI headquarters for questioning in the case.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio in the Delhi government, said students must continue to work hard and that if he goes to jail, he will still be keeping a tab on their performance.

“I want to tell the students that they should continue to work hard and study well. Even if I go to jail, I will keep a tab on the performance of the students,” he said.

Sisodia, who also holds the Finance portfolio in the Delhi Cabinet, was originally summoned last Sunday but he sought deferment of his questioning citing the ongoing Budget exercise, following which, the CBI had asked him to appear on February 26.

Earlier in a tweet in Hindi, Sisodia said he will fully cooperate with the probe.

"Today, I am going to the CBI. Will fully cooperate in the probe. I have the love of lakhs of children and crores of countrymen with me. Even if I have to go to jail for a few months, I do not care. We are followers of Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh died for the country. If I have to go to jail over such false allegations, it is a small thing," he said.

Several AAP leaders, meanwhile, claimed that some of their councillors have been put under house arrest to prevent them from visiting Raj Ghat.

“We have come to know that many of our leaders have been put in a kind of house arrest. Police is at their houses and not allowing them to step out. Even for visiting memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, we are being asked to take permission from the Centre,” AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed.

AAP leader Adil Ahmad alleged their councillors have been put under house arrest as the BJP is “scared of their party”.

“Many of our councillors are under house arrest. This is a black day for democracy. BJP is scared of us that's why they are attempting to stop our leaders,” he alleged.

Describing Sisodia as the future national education minister, Bharadwaj said, "Arvind Kejriwal is the new challenge for the BJP and the PM. The danger is not from Rahul Gandhi but from Arvind Kejriwal that's why they are after our party. They raided his house, office bank locker and even his village but nothing was found".

"He is the future national education minister and that's why they are scared of him but if he goes to jail today his route to national politics will open and the nation will see him as the future education minister at national level," he said.

He asserted that they were ready for all kinds of arrests and alleged atrocities inflicted by the Centre.