In what may further escalate already strained relations between the Centre and the Delhi government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at the residence of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Friday morning.
The residence of Sisodia, a senior leader of Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was among the 21 locations searched by the central agency.
The searches come days after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, a representative of the Central government, recommended a CBI inquiry into alleged anomalies and irregularities in distribution of licence under the Delhi Liquor Policy 2021-22.
ALSO READ: Excise Policy Row: Sisodia Rubbishes Allegations, Says BJP Promotes Liquor Mafia
“Multiple teams of CBI conducted searches at 21 locations spanning in seven states, including premises of four public servants,” a source in CBI told The New Indian.
Around a dozen officers packed in three vehicles reached Sisodia’s residence, house number AB-17 at Mathura Road, around 8.30 am.
A team of CBI officials is also searching the residence of former Excise Commissioner E Gopikishan, the source further said, adding that the searches were being conducted in connection with a case registered on the basis of a complaint received from LG VK Saxena.
Properties of some others associated with the case were also searched.
ALSO READ: Excise Policy Row: BJP’s Bidhuri Demands Sisodia’s Resignation
Earlier this month, the LG also recommended suspension of 11 officers of the Excise Department who were involved in drafting the new liquor policy.
Meanwhile, AAP leaders termed the CBI action as “harassment”, rejecting the charges in the case as “bogus”.
“CBI has come. I welcome them. I am a staunch honest man. We are shaping the career of lakhs of children. This is unfortunate that those who work for the country are harassed in this manner. That’s why our country could not become number one,” Sisodia tweeted.
In another tweet, he wrote, “These people are having problems with the good work done in the field of education and health. That’s why they arrested the health minister and education minister. All allegations against us are bogus. The truth will come in court.”
जिस दिन अमेरिका के सबसे बड़े अख़बार NYT के फ़्रंट पेज पर दिल्ली शिक्षा मॉडल की तारीफ़ और मनीष सिसोदिया की तस्वीर छपी, उसी दिन मनीष के घर केंद्र ने CBI भेजी
CBI का स्वागत है। पूरा cooperate करेंगे। पहले भी कई जाँच/रेड हुईं। कुछ नहीं निकला। अब भी कुछ नहीं निकलेगा https://t.co/oQXitimbYZ
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 19, 2022
On May 31, the ED arrested Delhi’s health minister Satyendar Jain in a hawala transaction case. He is currently in judicial custody.
ALSO READ: Delhi LG Recommends CBI Probe Into Excise Policy Over ‘Undue Favours To Licensees’
The AAP, which rules Delhi and Punjab, has accused the Centre of misusing the central agencies.
The Congress party, which is at the forefront of mobilising the Opposition against “misuse” of central agencies for “vendetta politics”, was, however, quick to criticise Sisodia, saying that he was playing a “victim card”.
“AAP was making the future of children in Delhi by providing a bottle of liquor free with one. AAP is crafting the future of children by reducing the age of drinking alcohol. Beware of staunch dishonesty of AAP; they have done the work of throwing Delhi into hell in the last eight years,” tweeted Congress spokesperson Alka Lamba, who was earlier in the AAP.
ALSO READ: Delhi LG Suspends Former Excise Officers
The flip side to relentless misuse of agencies against political rivals is that even legitimate, rightful actions of agencies come under a cloud of suspicion. In the process, the corrupt get away hiding behind the ‘misuse’ argument and the honest end up paying the price
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) August 19, 2022
In no time, BJP leaders launched an attack on Sisodia and the Kejriwal government. “Have been saying this for the last five years that Satyendar Jain, Manish Sisodia and (CM) Arvind Kejriwal will go to jail for corruption. Two wickets have fallen and the third thief will also be caught soon,” said BJP’s Kapil Mishra.
In 2017, Mishra, who was a minister in the AAP government, resigned from the post, leveling serious allegations against the Delhi government. He was then suspended from the party.
– Ravinder Balyan (@RavinderBalyan) 19 Aug 2022
