New Delhi, June 9 -- Senior AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia did not appear before the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Monday, citing a prior commitment. According to ACB officials, Sisodia informed the agency via email that he would be unable to join the investigation as summoned. A new date for his appearance will be communicated soon.
Sisodia has been summoned in connection with an alleged Rs.2,000-crore scam involving the construction of school classrooms during his tenure as education minister.
The controversy has intensified after former PWD minister Satyendar Jain, who was questioned by ACB last week, reportedly shifted blame onto the education department during his interrogation.
"Jain was asked 28 questions but could answer only six convincingly," an official said. "In most responses, he deflected responsibility to the education department and the former cabinet. His answers lacked clarity, so we may summon him again, and potentially conduct a joint questioning with Sisodia."
An FIR filed on April 30 alleges serious irregularities in constructing 12,700 classrooms in Delhi government schools. Costs jumped from Rs 860 crore to nearly Rs 2,900 crore due to inflated contracts, vague additions, and bypassed procedures. Firms linked to AAP affiliates were favoured, and a CVC report exposing violations was allegedly suppressed.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.