ED registers money laundering case against Sisodia, others in Delhi Excise Policy case

The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others in connection with allegations of "irregularities" in the formulation of excise policy and money changing hands for financially benefiting private liquor businesses.

The latest action came into public domain on Tuesday when Sisodia and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were in Gujarat campaigning against the ruling BJP.

A couple of days ago, the CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry into allegations of irregularities in the purchase and maintenance of 1,000 buses by the AAP-led dispensation. Recently, Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

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The latest ED case is based on a CBI FIR in the excise policy registered on August 17. The CBI had on August 19 conducted raids in 31 locations, including premises of Sisodia.

The registration of case by the CBI came after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in July recommended a CBI probe into the new excise policy following a report by the Delhi Chief Secretary that showed "deliberate and gross procedural lapses" to provide "undue benefits to liquor licensees", causing loss to the exchequer.

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Under the CBI lens is the allegation that the Excise Department under Sisodia gave a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore to licensees on the tendered licence fee citing Covid-19, besides refunding the earnest money of Rs 30 crore to the lowest bidder for the licence of the airport zone when it failed to obtain a no-objection certificate from airport authorities.

The FIR had alleged that three close associates of Sisodia were involved in “managing and diverting” bribes collected “from liquor licencees to accused public servants”.

According to ED officials, investigators will analyse whether the accused were involved in laundering the proceeds of the crime.