'Excise minister is excuse minister': BJP's Anurag Thakur takes a dig at AAP, Manish Sisodia over CBI searches

New Delhi: Union minister Anurag Thakur on Friday (August 19, 2022) took a dig a Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia. Anurag Thakur, in an interview with news agency ANI, questioned Sisodia after searches were carried out at the deputy CM’s house and 20 other locations over the Delhi excise policy. The Union minister stated, “when a CBI probe was recommended, the same day the excise policy was withdrawn.”

“If there were no discrepancies, why was the policy withdrawn? It is the fear of the CBI that forces Arvind Kejriwal to speak on education. This is not Shiksha (education) but Sharaab (alcohol),” Thakur said.

“Arvind Kejriwal should stop treating people as fools, & should stop addressing the people of the country. Delhi CM did not even suspend Satyendar Jain when he went to jail. AAP, Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia's real face has come in front of the public today,” Anurag Thakur added. 

#WATCH | No matter how hard a corrupt person tries to prove himself innocent, he will still remain corrupt. This is not the first case of corruption by AAP. There has been huge corruption in the liquor stores in Delhi: Union Min Anurag Thakur on CBI raids at Dy CM's residence pic.twitter.com/gFdlj1OblC — ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2022

Last month, Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had sought an investigation by the CBI into the matter, following which a political standoff between the BJP and the AAP started. 

Meanwhile, searches are underway at over 20 locations in Delhi and its adjoining areas. “CBI raids 21 locations in Delhi-NCR in connection with excise policy case, including Delhi’s deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s residence”, a CBI official said. The 21 locations being raided by CBI also include the premises of the then Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, news agency ANI reported quoting sources.