New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the CBI-issued Look out Circular (LOC) against him terming it a “gimmick”.

“All the raids issued by you have failed, the foul play of not even a single penny has been found. Now, you have issued a Look out Circular that Manish Sisodia is absconding, what is this gimmick, Modi Ji? I am openly roaming in Delhi, tell me where do I need to come?” Sisodia tweeted attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hindi. The Central Bureau of Investigation has barred the travel movement of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 12 people for being allegedly involved in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam by issuing a Look out Circular in their name.

The CBI had issued the Look out Circular against all the accused, which is used by the authorities to check if the person travelling abroad is ‘wanted’ by the police or any agency. It can be used in immigration checks at international borders.

The LOC is issued to ensure that a person absconding or wanted by law enforcement agencies is not able to leave the country. It is mostly used at immigration checkpoints by the immigration branch at international airports and seaports.

During the raid of CBI in Delhi at 31 locations including seven states, two accused were not found during the raid, so the agency opened LOC with immediate effect against the 13 accused.

“CBI issues a look out circular (LOC) against 13 accused in Delhi excise police case including deputy chief Minister Manish Sisodia,” an agency official told ANI.

CBI had registered an FIR against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 14 others in connection with alleged irregularities in the excise policy which was implemented in November last year.

On Saturday the CBI summoned several accused for questioning in the corruption case in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy.
An agency official told, “the agency was probing documents seized during raids at 31 places, including the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.”

The investigative agency is currently probing the process of verification of bank transactions along with documents related to the case and electronic gadgets which were seized during the raids.

Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers along with unknown public servants and private persons have also been booked in the case.
The FIR alleged that Sisodia, Arva Gopi Krishna, Anand Tiwari and Pankaj Bhatnagar, were instrumental in recommending and taking decisions pertaining to excise policy for the year 2021-22 “without the approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licencees post tender”.

The CBI on Friday conducted a raid at the house of Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy.

CBI registered a case against Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister, GNCTD of Delhi and others including Arva Gopi Krishna, the then Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi, Anand Tiwari, the then Deputy Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi, Pankaj Bhatnagar, then Assistant Commissioner (Excise), GNCTD of Delhi and 10 liquor licensees, their associates and unknown others on a reference from Ministry of Home Affairs.

It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in the Excise Policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval etc.

It was further alleged that illegal gains on the count of these acts were diverted to concerned public servants by private parties and making false entries in their books of accounts.