In connection with the Delhi Excise scam, the CBI is conducting raids at 21 locations across 7 states, including Manish Sisodia's official house. The officers of the investigating agency had reached Sisodia's house at 8.30 am. Since then, the official residence is being searched (A Wing Delhi Secretariat). Sisodia and the other family members' phones and laptops have been seized by the police.
A significant development in the case has come to light. Actually, on August 17, two days prior to the raid, the CBI filed an FIR against 15 people, including Delhi's deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. It has been claimed that a liquor businessman had given one crore rupees to Manish Sisodia's close friend.
On the basis of information sent by the office of Lt Governor VK Saxena to the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding violations of the liquor policy, the CBI has listed 15, including Manish Sisodia, as accused in its FIR. Arun Gopi Krishna, Deputy Excise Commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari, Assistant Excise Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar, nine businessmen, and two companies are the remaining accused.
Here's the complete list:
Name of the accused persons in RC0032022A0053 dated 17.08.2022
1. Shri Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister, GNCTD of Delhi.
2. Shri Arva Gopi Krishna, the then Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi.
3. Shri Anand Tiwari, the then Deputy Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD Of Delhi.
4. Shri Pankaj Bhatnagar Assistant Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi.
5. Shri Vijay Nair, former CEO, M/s Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company, 38th Floor, 3801, Tower No.-4, Cresent Bay, Jerbai, Wadia Road, Parel, Mumbai East-400012
6. Shri Manoj Rai, Ex-Employee of M/s. Pernod Ricard, Flat No. 1003, Omaxe Heights, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow-226010.
7. Shri Amandeep Dhal, Director, M/s Brindco Sales Pvt. Ltd., E-38, Kalindi Colony, Opposite Maharani Bagh, New Delhi-65.
8. Sh Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director, Indospirit Group, 207, Jor Bagh, Delhi
9. Sh Amit Arora, Director, M/s Buddy Retail Private Limited, D-240, III Floor, Defence Colony, New Delhi...
10. M/s Buddy Retail Private Limited, 1402, Tower-15, Vipul Greens, Gurgaon, Phase-I, Delhi.
11. Sh Dinesh Arora, Plot No-139, Ill Floor, Block-A, Gujranwala Town, Phase-I, Delhi 110009.
12. M/s Mahadev Liqours, B-303, Okhla, Industrial Area, Phase-I, Delhi-110020.
13. Sh. Sunny Marwah, Authorised Signatory, M/s Mahadev Liquors R/o E-38, 1st Floor, Kalkaji, New Delhi, South East Delhi, Delhi-19.
14. Sh Arun Ramchandra Pillai, 10 Vaishnavi Orchids Sarjapur Road, Behind Salarpuria Sancity Kasavanahalli carmeleram, Bangalore-Karnataka 560035, permanent resident of Villa No. 16, Survey 145, Eden Gardens, Sushee Realty, Kokapet, City, Anantypur, Telengana-500075.
15. Sh Arjun Pandey, 87, National Media Centre, DLF, Phase-III, Gurgaon.
16. Other unknown public servants and private persons
The agency claims that Sisodia and other accused government employees developed the excise policy without seeking permission from the appropriate authority. Its purpose was to unfairly benefit the dealers following the tender.