Live: Sisodia reaches CBI office for questioning in liquor policy case

Ahead of the CBI’s questioning of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case, the AAP on Saturday said he will fully cooperate with the investigation and asserted that it is a “hardcore honest” party. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has prepared an exhaustive set of questions for the minister amid apprehensions of his arrest. Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio in the Delhi Cabinet, was originally summoned last Sunday. He had sought deferment of his questioning, citing the ongoing budget exercise, following which the probe agency had asked him to appear on February 26.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the government is progressing towards regulation on Crypto Currency under India’s G20 presidency. Responding to a question from ANI regarding a consensus among the G20 countries on crypto assets during Indian Presidency, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “We are going through the study process so that there can be informed discussion. International Monetary Fund (IMF) and also the Financial Stability Board (FSB) have been doing their own little work on the crypto matter and progressing on their own.”

The European Union agreed on Saturday to impose new sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine targeting more officials and organisations accused of supporting the war, spreading propaganda or supplying drones, as well as restricting trade on products that could be used by the armed forces. The EU’s Swedish presidency said the sanctions “are directed at military and political decision-makers, companies supporting or working within the Russian military industry, and commanders in the Wagner Group. Transactions with some of Russia’s largest banks are also prohibited.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said the Congress should be absolutely clear in its ideological stance in favour of an inclusive India and pointed out that party could have been more vocal on issues such as the Bilkis Bano outrage and murder in the name of cow vigilantism. Addressing the 85th plenary session of the party here, the former Union minister said the Congress should stand up for its foundational principles. “We should be absolutely clear in our ideological stance in favour of inclusive India. The tendency to downplay some positions or avoid taking a stand on some issues in order not to alienate what we assume to be the sentiments of the majority only plays into the BJP’s hands,” Tharoor said.