Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the CBI raided his deputy Manish Sisodia on the day he was declared the "best education minister."
Stating that this isn't the first raid on Sisodia, Kejriwal said, "In the last seven years, several raids were conducted on Manish Sisodia. Several false cases were lodged against him. Raids were conducted on me as well, on Satyendar Jain, on Kailash Gehlot - but nothing was found. They won't get anything even now."
"There will be obstacles, but our work won't stop," he added.
The chief minister urged the people to join their national mission to make India Number 1. "Please give missed call on 9510001000, lets take India on the top."
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal said the CBI raid at his junior colleague’s house was the result of their good performance which is being appreciated globally. He said there were CBI raids before and nothing will come this time as well.
The CBI on Friday morning conducted raids in connection with Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, at over 10 locations including the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
It is alleged that undue financial favours were extended to liquor licensees after the tenders were awarded causing loss to the exchequer.
The excise department had given a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore to the licensees on the tendered licence fee on the excuse of Covid-19, the sources claimed, adding that it also refunded 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 (NOC) from airport authorities.
"It was in gross violation of rule 48(11)(b) of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, which clearly stipulates that the successful bidder must complete all formalities for the grant of the licence, failing which all deposits made by him shall stand forfeited to the government," one of the sources had said.
The Excise Policy, 2021-22, formulated on the basis of an expert committee report was implemented from November 17 last year and retail licences were issued under it to private bidders for 849 vends across the city, divided into 32 zones.
Several of its provisions such as slashing the number of dry days to three from 21 per year, the government's exit from retail liquor sale, allowing bars in hotels, restaurants to stay open till 3 am (awaiting police permission) and the retail licensees to offer rebates and schemes on alcohol were implemented by the excise department.
However, under the policy, many liquor stores failed to open for being located in non-conforming areas of the city. Several such vends were sealed by the municipal corporations for violations of the Master Plan.
(With inputs from PTI)
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