CBI summons Delhi Dy. CM Sisodia in Liquor scam case
18 Feb 2023 15:00:46
New Delhi, Feb 18: Delhi Deputy CM and AAP leader Manish Sisodia tweeted on Saturday that he has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to their headquarters on Sunday in connection with the Delhi liquor scam. According to sources in the CBI, Manish Sisodia has been called tomorrow for questioning based on the fresh available evidence against him.
The summon is in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy for the national capital. "CBI has called me again tomorrow. They have used the full power of ED and CBI against me. The officials had raided my house and searched my bank locker but nothing was found against me. I have made arrangements for good education for the children of Delhi. They want to stop me. I have always cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so," Sisodia said in a tweet. The CBI had registered an FIR in a special court in August last year against Sisodia and 14 others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A (falsification of records), and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which deals with taking undue advantage to influence a public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by the exercise of personal influence. The federal agency has alleged that the Delhi government's policy to grant licenses to liquor traders favored certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP. "It was further alleged that irregularities were committed including in modifications in Excise Policy, extending undue favors to the licensees, waiver/reduction in license fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval, etc," a CBI spokesperson was quoted by PTI as saying.
Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy, which was brought out in November last year. After a probe was recommended, the Delhi government was forced to withdraw its liquor policy and brought back private players into the market. The CBI's FIR against Manish Sisodia in the case states that he and other public servants accused in the case took decisions pertaining to the excise policy 2021-22 without the approval of competent authority with "an intention to extend undue favors to the licensees post tender".
According to the FIR, at least two payments in crores were allegedly made to "close associates" of Sisodia by Sameer Mahendru, the owner of Indospirit, one of the liquor traders involved in irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy. Manish Sisodia was called for questioning by the agency in October last year.