'Tomorrow, CBI will check my bank locker': AAP's Manish Sisodia amid Delhi Excise policy case

On August 19, the CBI had conducted a 14-hour-long raid at the residence of Manish Sisodia in the Excise police case.

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday claimed that the "Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is going to come to see his bank locker tomorrow" adding that nothing will be found in the locker like nothing was found in the 14-hour raid at his residence on August 19. He further said that he and his family would fully cooperate in the investigation.

"Tomorrow, CBI is coming to see our bank locker. Nothing was found in the 14-hour raid at my house on 19th August. Nothing will be found in the locker either. Welcome CBI. My family and I will fully cooperate in the investigation," Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi.

कल CBI हमारा बैंक लॉकर देखने आ रही है. 19 अगस्त को मेरे घर पर 14 घंटे की रेड में कुछ नहीं मिला था. लॉकर में भी कुछ नहीं मिलेगा.

CBI का स्वागत है. जाँच में मेरा और मेरे परिवार का पूरा सहयोग रहेगा. — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 29, 2022

On August 19, the CBI had conducted a 14-hour-long raid at the residence of Sisodia in the Excise police case. Searches were conducted in seven States and a Union Territory, including the premises of former Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna.Sisodia was among 15 persons booked in the FIR filed by CBI.

Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers along with unknown public servants and private persons have too been booked in the case.The CBI had filed a case against over alleged corruption in the 2021-22 excise policy. The excise policy was subsequently withdrawn by the AAP government.

The FIR said that "facts in the matter prima facie disclose the commission of offences" punishable under section 120-B, 477A IPC and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988" against the accused.The premises of the then Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna and Anand Tiwari were among those searched.

CBI had earlier issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against eight accused - all private persons - in connection with the CBI case for alleged irregularities in the excise policy.It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in the Excise Policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval etc.

It was further alleged that illegal gains on the count of these acts were diverted to concerned public servants by private parties and making false entries in their books of accounts.

The raids have led to a political slugfest with BJP leaders including Union Minister Anurag Thakur hitting out at Kejriwal and Sisodia over alleged "liquor corruption". AAP has termed the allegations as politically motivated.