Delhi liquor policy: Like CBI, ED too won't get anything, says Sisodia as raids underway at 35 locations
ED searches are underway at over 35 locations in the Delhi and other cities in connection with the excise policy case. AAP sources said the ED is not at Manish Sisodia's place.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The ED was carrying out searches at 35 locations in connection with Delhi liquor policy case
- No ED team has raided Manish Sisodia yet, AAP sources said
- Searches were underway at accused Sameer Mahendru's home in Delhi
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday began searches at 35 locations in the national capital and elsewhere in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, eliciting a sharp reaction from accused number 1, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.
Searches were underway at the home of accused Sameer Mahendru in Delhi. Raids are also being carried out at other locations in the city, as well as in Gurugram, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) told India Today that so far, no ED team has visited the home or office of Manish Sisodia, who is also an accused in the excise policy case being probed by the CBI.
Reacting to the ED searches, Manish Sisodia said, "First the CBI conducted raids, they found nothing. Now, the ED is conducting raids, they too won’t find anything. This is an attempt to stop the good work being done by Arvind Kejriwal. Let them use CBI, ED, they can't stop our work. I don’t have any information, they will only find more blueprints of schools."
The ED was searching the residential and official premises of those involved in the liquor trade, including manufacturers allegedly involved in the drafting of the new liquor police enforced by the AAP government in Delhi.
Last month, the CBI raided the Delhi residence of Manish Sisodia, that of IAS officer and former Delhi excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna and 19 other locations across seven states and UTs after it registered an FIR to investigate alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-2022.
In its FIR, the central probe agency has named as accused Manish Sisodia, who holds the excise portfolio, ex-excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, ex-deputy excise commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari, assistant excise commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar, nine businessmen and two companies.
According to the CBI FIR, at least two payments running into crores were allegedly made to Sisodia's "close associates" by Sameer Mahendru, the owner of Indospirits, who was one of the liquor traders allegedly involved in irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy.
India Today had previously reported that the ED is likely to file a money laundering case based off of the FIR filed by the CBI.
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