CBI names Manish Sisodia as 'accused no 1' in FIR in Delhi excise policy case

Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, has been listed as the first accused in a FIR on an alleged excise duty scam, for which various raids were conducted across several states and UTs, including Sisodia's residence in Delhi.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has listed 15 accused, including Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, in its FIR on the alleged excise scam, officials said.

According to reports, "Excise officials, liquor industry executives, dealers, as well as unknown governmental workers and private individuals, have all been charged in the case."

Three officers are named in the FIR - former Excise Commissioner A Gopi Krishna, Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari and Assistant Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar. 

The CBI claims that liquor companies and middlemen were "actively involved in irregularities in the framing and implementation" of the excise policy.

Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia among 15 persons booked by name in FIR filed by CBI. Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers along with unknown public servants & private persons have too been booked in the case (addresses omitted, previous tweet had personal information) pic.twitter.com/44L12CmHNn

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2022

Earlier, CBI officials searched Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia's house on Friday morning as part of their investigation into the excise policy matter. As the AAP said, the raids became a significant flashpoint because the agency was acting on directives "from above."

Meanwhile, Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has come out in support of Manish Sisodia in the wake of the CBI raids at his residence.

"This isn't the first raid. In the last 7 yrs, 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", Kejriwal said.

READ | Delhi liquor policy row: After CBI raids, ED on Manish Sisodia’s tail? Money laundering probe likely