CBI raids residence of Delhi DyCM Manish Sisodia; ‘CBI is welcome’, says CM Kejriwal

New Delhi, Aug 19: The CBI on Friday carried out searches at 21 locations in Delhi-NCR, including at the premises of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and IAS officer Arava Gopi Krishna, after registering an FIR in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, officials said. 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered the FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November last year, they said. 

During the search operation, the CBI teams reached 21 locations, including the premises of four public servants including Sisodia and former Excise Commissioner Krishna, a 2012-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, they said. 

Delhi L-G V K Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the Kejriwal government's Excise Policy, 2021-22, over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses.

The CBI inquiry was recommended on the Delhi Chief Secretary's report filed in July, showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009 and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, they said.

Apart from this there were also "deliberate and gross procedural lapses" to provide post tender "undue benefits to liquor licensees", said the officials.

Reacting to the raids, Sisodia said the CBI is welcome and asserted that the truth will come out.

In a series of tweets, he said these people are troubled because of the excellent work done by the Delhi Government in health and education sectors.

That is why ministers of both departments are "targeted" to stop us from good work in health and education sectors, he said.

"The allegations against both of us are lies. Truth will come out in court," he said.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was earlier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "CBI is welcome. We will give full cooperation. Searches/raids took place earlier too, but nothing was found. Nothing will be found now too."