By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carries out raids at 21 places, including Deputy Chief of Minister Manish Sisodia’s premises, across sevens states and union territories on Friday related to irregularities in the Delhi government excise policy.
The agency is also carrying out raids at the premises of the then Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, and two other bureaucrats. The raids were carried out after CBI registered a case for alleged anomalies and irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi’s liquor policy.
“The CBI is here. They are welcome. We are extremely honest and determined to make the future of millions of children. It is very unfortunate that those who do good work in our country are harassed like this. That is why our country has not yet become number one,” Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the CBI raid at his junior colleague’s house was the result of their good performance which is being appreciated globally. He said there were CBI raids before and nothing will come this time as well.
It is alleged that Sisodia made changes to the excise policy without the approval of Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal, such as allowing a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore on tendered licence fee on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The CBI inquiry was recommended on Delhi chief secretary’s report filed in July, showing prima facie violations of GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010.
The chief secretary’s report stated that Sisodia gave undue benefits to liquor licenses by revising the rates of foreign liquor and removing the levy of import pass fee of Rs 50 per case of beer and this made foreign liquor and beer cheaper for retail, leading to a loss of revenue for the state exchequer.
Delhi | CBI reaches the residence of Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. pic.twitter.com/mxiYCAOWZi
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2022
Thereafter, Delhi Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena had recommended CBI to register a case to probe financial irregularities in the mush-hyped excise policy. Saxena also directed Delhi’s Chief Secretary to submit a report detailing the “role of officers and civil servants in its illegal formulation, amendments and implementation.”
After the chief secretary prepared the report, Saxena approved the suspension of 11 officials over “serious lapses” in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.
READ HERE | In letter to CBI, Sisodia accuses ex-Delhi L-G Baijal of changing stance on opening liquor shops in unauthorised areas
The suspended officials included Gopikrishna and deputy excise commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari. Krishna, a 2012 batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, is currently posted in the Union Territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu. He was transferred from the post of Delhi Excise Commissioner on July 12, 2022. Tiwari, a 2003 batch DANICS officer is currently posted with the Delhi Excise department.
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carries out raids at 21 places, including Deputy Chief of Minister Manish Sisodia’s premises, across sevens states and union territories on Friday related to irregularities in the Delhi government excise policy.
The agency is also carrying out raids at the premises of the then Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, and two other bureaucrats. The raids were carried out after CBI registered a case for alleged anomalies and irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi’s liquor policy.
“The CBI is here. They are welcome. We are extremely honest and determined to make the future of millions of children. It is very unfortunate that those who do good work in our country are harassed like this. That is why our country has not yet become number one,” Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the CBI raid at his junior colleague’s house was the result of their good performance which is being appreciated globally. He said there were CBI raids before and nothing will come this time as well.
It is alleged that Sisodia made changes to the excise policy without the approval of Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal, such as allowing a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore on tendered licence fee on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The CBI inquiry was recommended on Delhi chief secretary’s report filed in July, showing prima facie violations of GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010.
The chief secretary’s report stated that Sisodia gave undue benefits to liquor licenses by revising the rates of foreign liquor and removing the levy of import pass fee of Rs 50 per case of beer and this made foreign liquor and beer cheaper for retail, leading to a loss of revenue for the state exchequer.
Delhi | CBI reaches the residence of Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. pic.twitter.com/mxiYCAOWZi
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2022
Thereafter, Delhi Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena had recommended CBI to register a case to probe financial irregularities in the mush-hyped excise policy. Saxena also directed Delhi’s Chief Secretary to submit a report detailing the “role of officers and civil servants in its illegal formulation, amendments and implementation.”
After the chief secretary prepared the report, Saxena approved the suspension of 11 officials over “serious lapses” in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.
READ HERE | In letter to CBI, Sisodia accuses ex-Delhi L-G Baijal of changing stance on opening liquor shops in unauthorised areas
The suspended officials included Gopikrishna and deputy excise commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari. Krishna, a 2012 batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, is currently posted in the Union Territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu. He was transferred from the post of Delhi Excise Commissioner on July 12, 2022. Tiwari, a 2003 batch DANICS officer is currently posted with the Delhi Excise department.
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