Delhi liquor scam case: Sisodia summoned by CBI on Sunday
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia has been summoned to appear for questioning before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case. Notably, Sisodia was set to be questioned last Sunday, but he asked for more time, citing the upcoming Delhi budget on which he had been working.
Why does this story matter?
On Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena's orders, the CBI began investigating claims against Delhi's AAP administration for issuing liquor licenses in lieu of kickbacks to the party under the now-scrapped Excise Policy 2021-22. Sisodia has been named as one of the accused but didn't appear in the CBI's chargesheet submitted nearly three months ago after searches at the leader's residence and bank lockers.
Sisodia's request to CBI
In his earlier request to the CBI, Sisodia stated he would be able to visit the agency's office by February end and that the questioning should not be done at the expense of Delhiites ahead of the budget presentation. Furthermore, the AAP leader also stated that he had always cooperated with the CBI. To note, Sisodia holds the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's finance portfolio.
Probe agencies claim southern cartel involved in scam
In recent weeks, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI have made numerous arrests in the alleged liquor policy scam case, including traders from south India. Some individuals named in the scam are also related to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) political rivals, namely Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha and Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSRCP MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy's son Magunta Raghava.
Sisodia's previous comments on CBI summons
Sisodia had previously called the CBI summons a political witch hunt orchestrated by the BJP, which controls both the central government and the investigative agencies. He also questioned the timing of the CBI summons, which came just a day after the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday overturned Saxena's orders on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayor elections, which allegedly favored the saffron brigade.
AAP received Rs. 100cr, used funds for Goa poll campaign
Previously, Indospirit's Managing Director Sameer Mahendru and AAP media and communications in-charge Vijay Nair were arrested on money laundering charges and lobbying for the purported south Indian liquor cartel to get them licenses under the now-scrapped liquor policy. Recently, the ED revealed the cartel paid Rs. 100 crore in kickbacks to Kejriwal's party, which the AAP used for the Assembly election campaign in Goa.
