Political tensions rose in the national capital on Sunday with the arrest of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI in the excise policy case, a move termed “political vendetta” by the ruling AAP which has planned protests across Delhi on Monday.
Sisodia’s arrest, one of the most high-profile actions against an opposition leader, comes after that of Satyendar Jain, Delhi’s then health minister, in June last year. The case pertains to alleged corruption in the now-scrapped excise policy relating to the sale of alcohol. It is alleged the Delhi government’s policy to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP.
The CBI, however, believes there is enough evidence and reason to question Sisodia in custody. Sources told News18 that Manish Sisodia has been arrested on charges relating to loss to exchequer, attempting to defraud the state, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.
Missing Files
According to CBI officials, crucial files that contain details about how the new excise policy was drafted, who were the signatories, and the discussions leading to the decision are missing. “Mr Sisodia’s repeated response was — ‘I don’t know’ — when asked about the missing files. His response was evasive when confronted with evidence,” an official said.
Sources said Excise Department officials and Sisodia’s former secretary told the CBI that the communication to make changes to the excise policy came from the Deputy CM himself since he was in-charge of the Excise portfolio.
Missing Phones
A bureaucrat who earlier worked in the Excise Department has reportedly told the CBI that instructions to make changes to the draft came through WhatsApp from mobile numbers purportedly belonging to Sisodia. News18 has learnt that 18 mobile handsets and four SIM cards were used by Sisodia between August and September 2022.
The CBI registered the FIR against Sisodia on August 19, 2022. The same day, officials claim, Sisodia changed three mobile phones for one SIM card. One mobile phone number was used across three handsets on August 20, sources said.
Handsets were allegedly changed for mobile numbers as well. For another number, seven handsets were used in less than two months, September and October, in 2022. In many instances, one SIM card was inserted in two handsets on the same day, officials claimed.
What has left the investigative agencies perplexed is the fact that almost all the handsets are missing or destroyed. CBI officials told News18 that Sisodia has been repeatedly asked about these handsets, but did not give any satisfactory answer.
Associate-Turned-Approver
Dinesh Arora, who has been called a ‘close associate’ of Sisodia by the CBI in the FIR has turned approver in the case. Sources said he has also confirmed that instructions about the changes in excise policy came “informally” from Sisodia. These changes were allegedly meant to benefit new liquor vendors who were allegedly providing “quid pro quo” benefits to AAP in return for the licence.
The CBI reportedly found that profit margins of liquor wholesalers were increased from 5% to 12% in the new excise policy on the insistence of the ‘South Lobby’.
Sisodia’s Defence
In a letter to Delhiites before leaving for the CBI office for questioning on Sunday, Sisodia had said false allegations have been levelled against him and he is confident that he will be cleared of all charges in court.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared Sisodia’s letter on Twitter.
“These people are going to arrest me today. They have levelled false allegations against me. I am sure all these cases will be dismissed in court, but it might take some time. It is possible that I might have to stay in jail for a few months. But I am not worried about it at all,” Sisodia said in his letter, without naming anyone.
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment