Delhi Excise Policy case: Amid CBI probe, ED likely to file money laundering case against Manish Sisodia

Amid the ongoing CBI investigation in the excise policy "corruption" case, the Enforcement Directorate is likely to file a money laundering case against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, reported India Today.

The CBI has shared a copy of the FIR against Sisodia and other relevant documents pertaining to the case with the ED, the report added. 

On Sunday, the row over the reported Lookout Circular against Sisodia was put to rest after the agency issued a LOC against eight accused -- all private persons in case. 

According to the CBI official, a total of nine private persons were named in the FIR, except for Manoj Rai, ex-vice president of Pernod Ricard, LOC has been issued against all private persons, excluding Sisodia.

Earlier in the day, Sisodia claimed the CBI issued a Look Out Circular against him, but agency officials denied it and said the LOCs were only against eight "private" persons named in the FIR.

The Aam Aadmi Party mocked the Centre, accusing it of playing the "CBI-ED game" every morning instead of focusing on problems of inflation and unemployment, while the BJP claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is getting nervous as the roots of the scam are leading to his doorstep.

The Congress demanded the resignation of Sisodia, saying the issue at hand was the liquor policy and AAP should stop "hiding behind" the education policy debate.

Claiming the CBI found "nothing" during the raid at his residence on Friday, Sisodia said the agency was doing a drama by issuing a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him when he is "roaming freely" in Delhi and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he is unable to find him.

Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.
 
The CBI raids on Friday came after Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena last month recommended a probe by the agency into the alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the policy that came into effect on November 17 last year. The Delhi government withdrew the policy in July after Saxena recommended the probe.

The CBI on Saturday began examining the accused and recorded the statements of three persons named in the FIR. It said more people will be questioned after examining the documents seized during the raids and other evidence.

The agency has named a total of nine private individuals as accused in the FIR including businessmen Vijay Nair, a former CEO of entertainment and event management company Only Much Louder; Manoj Rai, a former employee of Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, owner of Brindco Spirits; Sameer Mahendru, MD of IndoSpirit, and Hyderabad-based Arun Ramchandra Pillai.