Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was on Tuesday questioned for nine hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The AAP leader was questioned on the policy, and his equation with other accused, including businessman Vijay Nair.
Manish Sisodia, one of the over dozen accused in the case, refuted BJP's claim of a Rs 10,000 crore scam in the now-withdrawn excise policy. He said the case was a ruse to make successful what he called the party's Operation Lotus.
Through Operation Lotus, Sisodia was referring to his allegations that he had received an offer by the BJP to topple the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi.
Sisodia claimed CBI pressured him to quit AAP and join the BJP.
"I was offered the Delhi chief minister's post or face a jail term," Sisodia said, adding that "When I said that there was nothing in the case against me, I was told there was no case against even Satyendra Jain yet he was in jail".
The Central Bureau of Investigation refuted Sisodia's claim and said the probe was carried out in a professional and legal manner. "His statement will be verified in due course and further action taken as per requirements of the investigation," the agency added.
Why was Manish Sisodia questioned?
Manish Sisodia and 14 others were booked under sections that deal with criminal conspiracy, falsification of records, and the prevention of corruption act.
The case was registered after L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a probe alleging irregularities and corruption in the new excise policy implemented last November. After his recommendation, the Delhi government withdrew the policy.
In the FIR, CBI alleged payments worth crores were made to Sisodia's close associates by Sameer Mahendru, the owner of Indospirits. He is a liquor trader who was allegedly closely related to the formulation of the excise policy.
It also named Amit Arora, Dinesh Arora, and Arjun Pandey in the FIR alleging they were involved in diverting the undue pecuniary advantage collected from liquor licensees, reported PTI.
Also read: Manish Sisodia vs Centre: Leader claims ED summoned AAP's MCD poll incharge
The agency said prima facie, evidence highlighted lapses engineered to provide undue benefits to liquor licensees.
Under the new excise policy, the government allegedly waived the license fee to the tune of Rs 144.36 crore.
The Delhi government had said the new policy would increase the annual excise revenue.
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra attacked Manish Sisodia over his Operation Lotus charge. He accused them of running what he called 'Operation Non-Cooperation'. He also accused Sisodia and his boss Arvind Kejriwal of corruption.
In August, CBI raided Manish Sisodia's house and a bank locker. The minister later claimed they found nothing. He also claimed the CBI had given him a clean chit.
