CBI raids Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's office
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids at the office of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Saturday. The AAP leader confirmed the news by taking to his official Twitter account and said that the CBI is welcomed. He also claimed that the investigation agency raided his house and office but found nothing.
Why does this story matter?
This is not the first time the CBI raided the Delhi Deputy CM's residence or office. In August last year, the investigation agency raided the AAP leader's Punjab National Bank locker in connection with the 2021-22 Delhi Excise Policy money laundering case. According to CBI, they found nothing in their search back then as well.
I have done nothing wrong, says Sisodia
Taking to social media, Sisodia wrote in Hindi, "Today again CBI has reached my office. They are welcome. They raided my house, raided my office, searched my locker, even searched my village." "Nothing has been found against me and nothing will be found because I have not done anything wrong. Sincerely worked for the education of the children of Delhi," he further wrote.
Delhi Deputy CM's tweet on the CBI raid
Know about the Delhi excise policy case
The initial probe into the Delhi excise policy case started after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena suggested a CBI inquiry in 2022 into the matter over discrepancies. This is one of the numerous other matters that intensified the spat between AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the Arvind Kejriwal-led party claimed it was being targeted.
Sisodia was named as one the accused
Numerous arrests have been made so far in the case, with Sisodia being named as one of the accused. Furthermore, the Delhi Chief Minister also suggested numerous times that probe agencies were carrying out their investigation on the saffron brigade's direction. Kejriwal has also claimed that hundreds of officers were involved in the past months, but no conclusions were found in the case.
What is Delhi government's liquor policy?
The 2021-22 Delhi Excise Policy was implemented in November 2021, which reportedly made government outfits withdraw from the market. The Excise Department reportedly issued 849 retail liquor licenses through open bidding to private players over 32 zones. However, oppositions like the BJP claimed corruption and batted against the policy. The AAP government officially scrapped the liquor policy last year in July
