Manish Sisodia, Summoned by CBI in Case Regarding Liquor Policy, Requests More Time: What Charges Does He Face?

Manish Sisodia, Summoned by CBI in Case Regarding Liquor Policy, Requests More Time: What Charges Does He Face?

Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi, asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday to postpone questioning him in the Delhi Excise Policy case until the last week of February because he was still working on the budget for the nation’s capital. The news has sparked much concern among the general public and in Delhi’s political circles.

The CBI has called Manish Sisodia, who was the deputy chief minister and minister of information technology at the time the project was being carried out, to testify in the matter. Over three months after an accusation sheet was submitted in the case, Sisodia had been contacted for an interview in relation to it on Sunday.

“By the end of February, I will go to the CBI office whenever they call. As I am Delhi’s Finance Minister and budget preparation is crucial, I have asked for a date change. I’ve always worked with these organisations, “The Minister briefed the reporters. The charge document does not list him as an accused party. Yet the inquiry into him and the other suspects is still ongoing.

Delhi’s liquor regulations: Charges against Manish Sisodia?

Manish Sisodia, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal‘s deputy, and others are accused of engaging in corruption as they implemented a new alcohol policy in the nation’s capital. An investigation into the case was ordered by Delhi LG VK Saxena last year. The Kejriwal-led Delhi Government approved the excise proposal in the midst of the fatal Covid-19 outbreak in 2021.

According to the Delhi government, the policy was developed to achieve maximum revenue generation, end the sale of fake or untaxed alcohol in Delhi, and enhance user experience. The assertion that the Delhi government’s practise of granting licences to alcohol outlets supports the interests of some sellers who allegedly paid bribes for it is vehemently denied by AAP.

On October 17, 2022, CBI questioned him for the first time on the case, and they also searched his home and bank lockers. According to a CBI officer, many raids were also carried out at 21 locations in Delhi and the National Capital Region last year, including Sisodia’s home and the workplaces of four public employees. According to the official, raids took place in seven different states.

Reactions from AAP and Political Circles

The news of Manish Sisodia being summoned by the CBI has created a lot of buzz in the political circles of Delhi. While the opposition parties have been quick to attack the AAP government, the party leaders have maintained that the move is politically motivated and an attempt to defame the party and its leadership.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj has said that the party is fully confident in its leaders and that they will cooperate with the investigation. He also alleged that the BJP-led central government is using the CBI as a tool to target the opposition parties.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) permitted Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to dodge its summonses for interrogation based on his assertion that he was preoccupied with the Budget, according to Chaudhary Anil Kumar, President of the Congress’ Delhi branch.

He claimed that Sisodia would be able to tamper with the evidence if given a week’s notice. He continued by saying that after questioning his personal secretary, the CBI allegedly gathered damning evidence against him in the multi-million dollar scheme. He shouldn’t have been left to avoid being interrogated.

If there were no corruption or irregularities in the implementation of the revised liquor policy, for which Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is responsible, why did the Kejriwal Government revoke it as soon as the Lt. Governor ordered a probe into the liquor scam following a complaint from the Delhi Congress? questioned Anil Kumar.

He went on to say that if Minister Satyender Jain was denied bail for nearly a year in connection with a money laundering case, then there’s no way the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate would let Sisodia walk free after committing fraud totaling thousands of crores. The Congress has told Sisodia that he must resign or be fired as Minister until he can prove that he is not guilty.

Impact on the Delhi Government

The summons to Manish Sisodia comes at a time when the Delhi government is busy preparing for the upcoming municipal elections. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has ruled Delhi for the past six years, is attempting to strengthen its hold on power and attract new members. The news of Sisodia being summoned by the CBI could impact the party’s prospects in the upcoming elections.

However, the party has insisted that such strategies won’t discourage it and will keep pushing for Delhi’s people’s welfare. The AAP has also accused the BJP of trying to derail the good work done by the Delhi government by indulging in such politically motivated acts.

The summons to Sisodia has once again brought the issue of political vendetta to the forefront. While the allegations against Sisodia need to be investigated, the probe must be fair and impartial. The CBI needs to ensure that it does not become a tool in the hands of the ruling party to harass its opponents. As for Sisodia, he needs to cooperate with the agency and prove his innocence. Only a fair and impartial probe can reveal the truth behind the allegations.

Edited by Prakriti Arora