'How can country progress? Game of CBI, ED': Kejriwal on LOC to Sisodia

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday raised questions on the country's progress and accused the Centre of working against the country at a time when it should be battling unemployment.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday raised questions on the country's progress and accused the Centre of working against the country at a time when it should be battling unemployment.

"Instead of fighting inflation and unemployment, the Centre is fighting with the country at a time when it should make efforts with the state government when crores of youth are unemployed and the common man is battling with inflation," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

"How can such a country progress whose leaders simply wake up in the morning and start their game of CBI and ED?" he said further.

The AAP national convenor's remark came in a response to the Look Out Circular issued to his deputy Manish Sisodia after the CBI raids at his residence on August 19.

Earlier in the day, Sisodia took to Twitter and termed the CBI raids a "gimmick".

"All the raids issued by you have failed, the foul play of not even a single penny has been found. Now, you have issued a Look Out Circular that Manish Sisodia is absconding, what is this gimmick, Modi Ji? I am openly roaming in Delhi, tell me where do I need to come?" Sisodia tweeted attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hindi.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has barred the travel movement of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 12 people for being allegedly involved in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam by issuing a Look Out Circular in their name.

The CBI had issued the Look Out Circular against all the accused, which is used by the authorities to check if the person travelling abroad is 'wanted' by the police or any agency. It can be used in immigration checks at international borders.

The LOC is issued to ensure that a person absconding or wanted by law enforcement agencies is not able to leave the country. It is mostly used at immigration checkpoints by the immigration branch at international airports and seaports.

During the raid of CBI in Delhi at 31 locations including seven states, two accused were not found, so the agency opened LOC with immediate effect against the 13 accused.

CBI had registered an FIR against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 14 others in connection with alleged irregularities in the excise policy which was implemented in November last year.

On Saturday the CBI summoned several accused for questioning in the corruption case in connection with the Delhi excise policy.

The investigative agency is currently probing the process of verification of bank transactions along with documents related to the case and electronic gadgets which were seized during the raids.

Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers along with unknown public servants and private persons have also been booked in the case.

The CBI on Friday conducted a raid at the house of Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.

CBI registered a case against Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister, GNCTD of Delhi and others including Arva Gopi Krishna, the then Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi, Anand Tiwari, the then Deputy Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi, Pankaj Bhatnagar, then Assistant Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi and 10 liquor licensees, their associates and unknown others on a reference from Ministry of Home Affairs.

It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in the excise policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval etc.

It was further alleged that illegal gains on the count of these acts were diverted to concerned public servants by private parties and making false entries in their books of accounts.