The CBI on Friday carried out searches at 21 locations in Delhi-NCR, including the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in the Delhi excise policy case, officials said.The CBI has registered an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November last year, they said.
During the search operation, the CBI teams reached 21 locations, including the premises of four public servants, including Sisodia and former Excise Commissioner Krishna, a 2012-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, they said.Delhi Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the Kejriwal government’s Excise Policy, 2021-22, over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses.
The CBI inquiry was recommended on Delhi Chief Secretary’s report filed in July, showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, they said. Apart from this, there were also “deliberate and gross procedural lapses” to provide post-tender “undue benefits to liquor licensees”, said the officials. Sisodia in a series of tweets said the CBI is welcome. He said these people are troubled because of the excellent work done by the Delhi government in the health and education sectors. That is why ministers of both departments are targeted to stop them from good work in health and education sectors, he said. “The allegations against both of us are lies. Truth will come out in court,” he said.
