Delhi Excise Policy Case: ED Raids Five Locations In Delhi-NCR, Records Statement Of Sisodia's Aide

The agency is also said to have arrested a few individuals, including Devendra Sharma, Sisodia's close aide and personal assistant, from their homes in Delhi and the NCR. 

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia

Source : PTI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's personal assistant on Saturday following raids conducted at five locations in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 money laundering case, according to sources, news agency ANI reported. 

The agency is also said to have arrested a few individuals, including Devendra Sharma, Sisodia's close aide and personal assistant, from their homes in Delhi and the NCR. 

All of the suspects who were picked up from their homes during the ED's search operation are being questioned at the ED's headquarters here under the terms of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), ANI reported. 

Following the arrest of Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director of Delhi's Jor Bagh-based liquor distributor Indospirit Group, the ED searched almost three dozen premises in Delhi and Punjab in October in the case. 

Manish Sisodia, the then-Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi Krishna, Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari, and Assistant Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar are among those charged in the case.

Sisodia said in a tweet that the ED filed a "false" case against him, following which it searched his PA's home and "arrested" him.

"After lodging false FIR, they raided my house, searched bank lockers, and checked in my village but found nothing against me. Today, ED conducted a raid at my PA's house. When ED did not find anything there either, they arrested him and took him away. BJP people! So much fear of losing the election..," Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.

इन्होंने झूठी FIR कर मेरे घर रेड करवाई, बैंक लॉकर तलाश लिए, मेरे गाँव में जाँच कर ली लेकिन मेरे ख़िलाफ़ कहीं कुछ नहीं मिला
आज इन्होंने मेरे PA के घर पर ईडी की रेड करी वहाँ भी कुछ नहीं मिला तो अब उसको गिरफ़्तार कर के ले गये है.

भाजपा वालो! चुनाव में हार का इतना डर..

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 5, 2022

According to the ED and the CBI, irregularities were committed while changing the Excise Policy, excessive favours were granted to licence holders, the licence price was waived or decreased, and the L-1 licence was extended without the consent of the relevant authorities.

To avoid discovery, the recipients shifted "illegal" income to the accused authorities and created fake entries in their books of account.

(With Inputs From ANI)