The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in Delhi’s liquor policy. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has cried vendetta politics and blamed BJP for misusing central agencies, we dig deeper into Delhi liquor policy case to find out if rules were flouted and if Manish Sisodia’s arrest was warranted.
Manish Sisodia’s Arrest
Manish Sisodia arrived at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi around 11 am on Sunday and was questioned for about eight hours before his arrest was finally recorded.
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All About Delhi’s Alleged “Liquor Scam”
The AAP government implemented the new excise policy on 17 November 2021, under which retail licences were given to private bidders for 849 liquor vends across 32 zones in the city. In its excise policy document, the government stated that Delhi is ranked the 28th most visited city in the world, and the excise revenue is an essential source of revenue for the State. However, the current system of excise regime in Delhi is highly cumbersome, and the liquor trade is conducted in an archaic manner, the policy noted.
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To further this goal, the government stated that it would grant wholesale licences in the form of L-1 category licences to entities for the supply of Indian and foreign liquor. According to the new excise policy, these licences would be granted to private business entities with distribution experience in the liquor trade in any State of India for at least five years. The policy document stated that the number of retail liquor vends will be 849, including five super-premium retail vends and that there shall be no government-owned liquor vends for IMFL and FL and licences in the form of L-6, L-6FG & L-6FE, which will become redundant.
CBI’s Response
In a statement released on Sunday, the CBI mentioned that Manish Sisodia was arrested in an ongoing investigation of a case relating to alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). The CBI also noted that the case was registered against Manish Sisodia and 14 others for the irregularities and for extending post-tender benefits to private persons.
The CBI officials told the media that they interrogated Manish Sisodia on various aspects, including his alleged links with Dinesh Arora and many other accused persons whose name figures in the FIR. The officials have said that the Deputy Chief Minister was not cooperating with the agency and was providing evasive replies.
Earlier today, the CBI produced Manish Sisodia before the Rouse Avenue Court and sought his five-day custody. Later in the day, the court granted the CBI the custody of Manish Sisodia till March 4.