Delhi Excise Policy Case: Sisodia changed his mobile handset four times in a day, alleges BJP

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday alleged that Manish Sisodia is “completely involved” in the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case and alleged the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister changed four mobile handsets in one day and 14 handsets in two three months after Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) lodged an FIR against him. The BJP alleged that Sisodia did so with the aim to destroy digital evidence.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, the BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “A few days ago, Arvind Kejriwal said that Manish Sisodia has a clean chit. And the scam that has taken place in the excise policy is not a scam because CBI and ED had given clean chit to Manish Sisodia. There is no chargesheet against Sisodia.” Patra alleged that Sisodia has a big role in Delhi’s excise policy. “He is not just neck deep but he is completely involved in the liquor scam in Delhi,” the BJP leader said.

During the press conference Patra presented a remand note which he claimed was submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to a Delhi court in which Patra said it is stated that an FIR dated August 17, 2022, was registered by CBI against Manish Sisodia.

“A person named Amit Arora had taken and given money in the case. Amit Arora was arrested by the ED and while taking its custody the ED presented these documents in Court. The 32-page remand note shows that the investigation is going on against Manish Sisodia in the excise police scam case. The allegations against him are serious. The ED and CBI had chargesheeted those arrested. They are preparing full-proof documents on Manish Sisodia. They all have a connection with Manish Sisodia.

“As per the document, an FIR dated August 17, 2022, was registered by CBI against Manish Sisodia. The Office Memo (OM) disclosed that Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the then Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna and others were instrumental in giving orders to people in excise policy benefiting few by giving them an undue advantage,” said the BJP leader.

He further alleged that Sisodia might have consulted people to destroy digital evidence in the case.

“Manish Sisodia changed four mobile handsets in one day and 14 handsets in two-three months after CBI’s FIR against him. He might have consulted Delhi CM Kejriwal, AAP leader Vijay Nair, liquor scam accused Amit Arora and Sunny Marwah to destroy digital evidence,” the BJP national spokesperson said.

Patra alleged “large-scale destruction of digital evidence” was done by the accused including the ex-excise minister of Delhi Sisodia and that 170 mobile phones were destroyed by the 36 accused in the alleged Delhi liquor scam.

The Delhi LG had recommended a CBI inquiry into the findings of the Delhi chief secretary’s report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials had said.

In October, the ED had raided nearly three dozen locations in Delhi and Punjab following the arrest of Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director of Delhi’s Jor Bagh-based liquor distributor Indospirit Group, in the case.

The Excise Department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules. Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fee was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19.

This allegedly caused a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer, which has been instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.