PremiumManish Sisodia said that the CBI or ED sleuths will not investigate the Gujarat liquor mafia as it is run by the same entity who ordered probe on him, in connection with the excise policy case.
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Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday questioned the ‘double standards’ of the federal agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying that the sleuths will not investigate the Gujarat liquor mafia as it is run by the same entity who ordered probe on him, in connection with the excise policy case.
Sisodia indirectly attacked the BJP-led central government on his official Twitter handle. “In Gujarat, the liquor mafia is openly killing the policemen, defrauding the government treasury of 10,000 crores, but neither CBI nor ED will go here. Because the liquor mafia is also running the same who is getting a CBI raid done by making a fake FIR against me," he wrote---roughly translated from Hindi.
Excise revenue for the first quarter of the current fiscal 2022–23 was 37.51% less than expected. However, the BJP claimed that there was no drop in sales. Despite there being no decline in sales, the monthly loss due to surrendered liquor zones was estimated at ₹193.95 crore. The BJP claims that, by waiving the tendering licence fee by ₹144.36 crore and invoking pandemic closures, AAP "favoured" select merchants. The excise department allegedly amended the methodology for calculating rates of foreign alcohol without authority's consent and abolished the import pass charge, making foreign alcohol less expensive for retail licensees at the expense of the exchequer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 19 had raided Manish Sisodia's residence and carried out searches at several places in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of Delhi's excise policy.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) suspended the then Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna and Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari days after Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the suspension and initiation of disciplinary proceedings for "serious lapses" against 11 officers in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
Sisodia has also claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had offered him the "CM's post" and a closure of all cases against him if he quit the AAP and joined the saffron party, prompting an attack from the saffron party.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who has so far supported Manish Sisodia, claimed that his deputy is likely to be arrested in the next few days in the Excise Policy case.
However, a law enforcement agency top official has now denied an ED case against the Delhi deputy chief minister.