Delhi Liquor Policy Case: CBI Arrests Manish Sisodia's Close Aide Vijay Nair

Delhi Excise Policy Scam: Nair, who was abroad for quite some time, was called for questioning at the agency office on Tuesday.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office (Source: File photo/AFP)

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia's close aide Vijay Nair, an accused in the Delhi Excise Policy case, said officials as reported by news agency PTI.

Businessman Nair, who was abroad for quite some time, was called for questioning at the agency office on Tuesday, they said.

"Nair was arrested for his alleged role in "cartelisation" and "conspiracy" related to alleged irregularities in the allocation of a liquor license in the national capital," said sources.

The FIR has alleged that Arjun Pandey, a partner of Sisodia, had once collected about Rs 2-4 crore in cash from liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru for Nair, former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company.

CBI has issued look-out circular notice against eight accused including Manish Sisodia. A total of nine people are named in the FIR, out of which only a look-out circular has not been issued against Manoj Rai, the former Vice President of Pernod Ricard.

Earlier on Monday, Sisodia claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned AAP's MCD poll Incharge Durgesh Pathak in connection with its excise policy probe.  

In a tweet, Sisodia criticised the probe agency asking if the aim was to target the MCD polls instead of the liquor policy. "The ED has summoned AAP's MCD poll Incharge Durgesh Pathak today. What has our MCD poll Incharge to do with the Delhi government's excise policy? Is their target liquor policy or MCD poll?" Sisodia wrote.

आज ED ने “आप” के MCD के चुनाव इंचार्ज दुर्गेश पाठक को समन किया है। दिल्ली सरकार की शराब नीति से हमारे MCD चुनाव इंचार्ज का क्या लेना देना? इनका टार्गेट शराब नीति है या MCD चुनाव?

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) September 19, 2022

There was no official confirmation yet from the ED on the summons, reported news agency PTI.

Pathak is currently an MLA from Rajinder Nagar and has been associated with the AAP since its formation in 2012. He won the Rajinder Nagar bypoll three months ago.

The elections of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are expected to be held by year-end after the completion of the delimitation of 270 wards.

As for the liquor policy case, officials from Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at 40 different places spread over states, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, in connection with the Excise Policy 2021-22 of the Kejriwal government.

The CBI has filed an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in the policy and named Sisodia as an accused.  The Kejriwal government withdrew the policy in July after the CBI probe was recommended by LG VK Saxena into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the policy.

Apart from Sisodia, other persons who have been booked include excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers, along with unknown public servants and private individuals, reported news agency ANI. The CBI raided the Delhi residences of Sisodia and former Delhi excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna along with 19 other locations across seven states and Union Territories.

According to the CBI, Manish Sisodia has also been accused of criminal conspiracy and manipulation of accounts. This FIR has been registered under 120-B, 477-A, and Section-7.  

(With PTI Inputs)