Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared before the CBI on Sunday for questioning in the excise policy scam case, officials said.
The agency had summoned him on Friday last seeking his appearance as a witness before the investigation team to answer their queries on the inputs generated during the probe in which his former deputy Manish Sisodia was also arrested on February 26, they said.
Kejriwal arrived in his car at the heavily fortified CBI headquarters, where the Delhi Police has put in place four rings of barricading to prevent any possible protests by the Aam Admi Party leaders and supporters.
The CBI has kept Sunday for questioning as the neighbourhood, which consists of complexes having government offices, remains closed, thus causing the least inconvenience to the officials coming here.
After his arrival at the agency headquarters at 11:10 AM, Kejriwal was taken to the first floor office of the Anti-Corruption Branch of the CBI, which is probing the matter. Senior officials of the agency remained present in the office on Sunday to keep an eye on the development, a normal course whenever a VIP comes to the agency, they said.
During the day, which will also include a lunch break, the CBI may ask the chief minister about the policy formulation process, especially the "untraceable" file, which was earlier slated to be put before the Council of Ministers, they said.
They said the file containing opinions of the expert committee and public and legal opinions on it was not kept before the council and remains untraceable.
The agency may also quiz Kejriwal on the statements of other accused, where they have indicated the manner in which policy was allegedly influenced to favour some liquor businessmen and the South liquor lobby, they said.
In addition, the officials said the agency might also seek his role in formulating the excise policy and his knowledge about the alleged influence being cast by the traders and South lobby members.
Kejriwal may also be asked if he was involved in the formulation of the policy before it was given approval, they said.
Earlier, Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP might have ordered the probe agency to arrest him, and said they are "very powerful and can send anyone to jail".
In a five-minute video message on Twitter, Kejriwal said he would truthfully and honestly answer questions posed by the CBI in the excise case as he has nothing to hide.
"I have been summoned by CBI today and I will give all the answers with honesty. These people are very powerful. They can send anyone to jail, it does not matter if that person has committed any crime or not," the AAP leader said.
"Since yesterday, all of their leaders are screaming at top of their voices that Kejriwal will be arrested and I think BJP has instructed CBI also that Kejriwal should be arrested. If BJP has given an order, then who is CBI? CBI is going to arrest me," he said.
In the video, the AAP leader charged that the BJP has the "ego" of power and they threaten everybody. "They keep threatening everyone to obey us or else they will send them to jail. These people are threatening to send Kejriwal to jail, but what will happen with this," he asked.
Talking about his journey, the Delhi chief minister said: "You are saying that Kejriwal is corrupt. Earlier I used to work in income tax, I could have earned as much money as I wanted.I quit my job and worked in the slums of Delhi for many years."
The AAP leader said if he is corrupt then no man in the world is honest.
"Kejriwal lives for the country and will die for the country, if you call me 100 times for the CBI and ED, I will go 100 times," he said and added, "I love the country and Bharat Mata, can sacrifice my life for the country".