The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday carried out searches at a total of 21 locations, including at the residence of Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.
The searches come after the CBI registered an FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November last year, said officials.
Officials on Friday afternoon said that the CBI has listed 15 people as accused in the alleged scam, including Sisodia. India Today reported that he has been mentioned at the first place among the accused people's list.
India Today further reported that CBI also seized confidential documents related to the new excise policy from the residence of a "public servant", citing sources, who add that those documents were not supposed to be at the residence.
The CBI carried out searches in Delhi and seven states and Union territories. Besides Sisodia's residence, searches were also carried out at former Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna's residence. Premises of two other public servants were also searched.
Why is CBI conducting searches?
Last month, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22 over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses.
The CBI inquiry was recommended on the findings of the 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, said officials.
According to officials, the report had shown prima facie violations, including "deliberate and gross procedural lapses", to provide post-tender "undue benefits to liquor licensees" through the policy. They added that a copy of the report was also sent to the chief minister.
Apart from this there were also "deliberate and gross procedural lapses" to provide post tender "undue benefits to liquor licensees", said the officials.
What's the excise policy, what are allegations?
It is alleged that undue financial favours were extended to liquor licensees after the tenders were awarded causing loss to exchequer.
The Excise Policy, 2021-22, formulated on the basis of an expert committee report was implemented from November 17 last year and retail licences were issued under it to private bidders for 849 vends across the city, divided into 32 zones.
Several of its provisions such as slashing the number of dry days to three from 21 per year, the government's exit from retail liquor sale, allowing bars in hotels and restaurants to stay open till 3 am (awaiting police permission) and the retail licensees to offer rebates and schemes on alcohol were implemented by the excise department.
However, under the policy, many liquor stores failed to open for being located in non-conforming areas of the city. Several such vends were sealed by the municipal corporations for violations of the Master Plan.
The excise department had given a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore to the licensees on the tendered licence fee on the excuse of Covid-19, the sources claimed, adding that it also refunded the earnest money of Rs 30 crore to the lowest bidder for the licence of the airport zone when it failed to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from airport authorities.
"It was in gross violation of rule 48(11)(b) of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, which clearly stipulates that the successful bidder must complete all formalities for the grant of the licence, failing which all deposits made by him shall stand forfeited to the government," one of the sources had said.
How has the AAP reacted?
Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the CBI raid at his colleague’s house was the result of their good performance which is being appreciated globally. He said there were CBI raids before and nothing will come this time as well.
"The day Delhi's Education model was appreciated and Manish Sisodia's photo appeared on the front page of America's biggest newspaper NYT, the Centre sent CBI at the residence of Manish."
Sisodia in a series of tweets said the CBI is welcome.
In an apparent swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Union government, Kejriwal also said that the "CBI has been asked from above" to pursue them.
Kejriwal mentioned the recent coverage by The New York Times newspaper of Delhi's schools and said the "biggest newspaper wrote about Delhi’s education revolution".
He added, "It is a matter of pride for the country that Manish Sisodia's name is on the front page of the biggest newspaper of the most powerful country in the world. In a way, he has been declared as the best education minister in the world. The biggest newspaper wrote about Delhi’s education revolution and carried Sisodia's photograph also."
Kejriwal said the last time India's name featured in The New York Times was over mass deaths happening in the country duto Covid-19.
Talking about the CBI raids on Friday at Sisodia’s house, Kejriwal said they are not scared and there were raids against his other ministers, Kailash Gahlot and Satyendar Jain, too but nothing came out of them.
He said, "Many obstacles will be created in our path in our mission. This is not the first raid on Sisodia. There were raids in the past too. There have been raids also on many of our ministers and me too, but nothing came out of them and nothing will come out this time as well. There is no need to panic since there will be obstacles to stop our work. The CBI has been asked from above to harass us."
Jain is currently in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
(With PTI inputs)
