Excise Policy case: CBI raids in 7 states; Searches at 21 locations in Delhi-NCR, including premises of Manish Sisodia

New Delhi , August 19: Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrived at the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as part of the investigative agency’s raids at 21 places across Delhi and the National Capital Region.
The raids are being conducted in seven states of the country in connection with the CBI’s investigation into the alleged irregularities in formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November 2021. The CBI has registered an FIR in this connection.

Sisodia took to Twitter to post: “CBI has arrived. We are honest, building a future for lakhs of children. Unfortunate that in this country, whoever does good work is hassled just like this, that is why our country is still not number-1.”
“I extend my welcome to the CBI. I will cooperate with the investigation so that the truth comes out at the earliest. Till now many cases have been filed against me but nothing has come out. Nothing will come out of it either. My work cannot be stopped for a good education in the country,” Sisodia tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal also tweeted his support for Sisodia saying that nothing will come out of this raid and many such happened in past. “I welcome CBI. We will cooperate fully. There have been many such probes, raids in past. Nothing came out. Nothing will come out this time too,” Kejriwal tweeted.
A top CBI official said: “Raids are going on at 21 places in Delhi and NCR, including the residence of Manish Sisodia and premises of four public servants in the Excise Policy case.”
Among the premises raided include those of the former Excise Commissioner of Delhi Arava Gopi Krishna during whose tenure the revamped Excise policy was approved.
Earlier in July, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into Delhi’s revamped excise policy. He approved the suspension of 11 officials over “lapses” in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.
The suspended officials included Gopikrishna and deputy excise commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari.
Sisoida today tweeted that allegations made against him and the Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain were not true.

“These people are troubled by the excellent work of Delhi’s education and health. That is why the health minister and the education minister of Delhi are on the radar so that the good work of education and health can be stopped,” Sisodia wrote.
Soon after the CBI arrived at Sisodia’s residence, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and said that they (AAP) will give full cooperation to the investigations.
“CBI is welcome. We will give full cooperation. Searches took place earlier too, but nothing was found. Nothing will be found now too,” Kejriwal tweeted mentioning that the CBI has raided Sisodia’s residence on the day when the picture of the Delhi Model and Sisodia appeared on the front page of America’s biggest newspaper- New York Times.
Earlier on August 6, former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal was accused by Deputy CM Manish Sisodia of changing his stand on the issue of opening liquor shops in unauthorized areas of Delhi. (Agencies)