Delhi Excise Policy Case: Manish Sisodia's 'Aide' Set To Turn Govt Approver, Seeks Pardon

During the hearing, the defendant informed the judge that he was prepared to provide "true disclosure voluntarily" of the case and that he desired to serve as an approver.

A Delhi court will determine on November 14, whether to grant the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) permission to appoint businessman Dinesh Arora, a "close aide" of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, as an approver in the Delhi excise policy case. Arguments regarding Arora's request for a pardon and permission to testify in the case will also be heard by Special Judge M K Nagpal, news agency PTI reported on Monday.

During the hearing, the defendant informed the judge that he was prepared to provide "true disclosure voluntarily" of the case and that he desired to serve as an approver.

In answer to the court's inquiry, he stated that neither the CBI nor anybody else had put any pressure or threats on him, PTI reported. 

Arora's attorney also made a motion for closed-door sessions, arguing that it is a delicate situation and the media should be excluded at this early point.

The request for the closed-door hearings was not opposed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The investigation agency did not object to the release request, thus the judge previously granted Arora anticipatory bail, PTI reported. 

The CBI maintained that it had no objections to anticipatory bail being granted to the applicant by the court because Arora joined the investigation and gave information that was crucial to the inquiry in its response to the anticipatory bail request.

The CBI filed a case in the excise policy scam in August and sent out a lookout circular (LOC) warning eight people who were designated as suspects.

Sisodia, former excise commissioner Arva Gopi Krishna, deputy commissioner Anand Tiwari, and assistant commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar are among the accused state workers.

On Saturday, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's personal aide Devendra Sharma was questioned for over 10 hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The money laundering charge stems from a CBI FIR that named Sisodia as an offender among others. Following the filing of the complaint, the CBI raided the deputy chief minister's office and the offices of various Delhi government personnel.

In July, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena asked the CBI to look into possible irregularities in the implementation of Delhi's Excise Policy 2021-22.

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

(With Inputs From PTI)