ED registers case in Delhi excise 'scam', raids 40 sites across nation

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 6

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and searched around 40 locations across Delhi and some states in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, officials said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and some bureaucrats have been named as accused in the alleged scam related to the Delhi excise policy, which has now been rolled back.

“Around 38-40 premises in Delhi, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are being searched and private individuals and some government officials named in the CBI FIR are being raided,” said a senior official. He said the searched premises didn’t include those linked to Sisodia.

The ruling AAP claimed that after the CBI, the ED too had given a “clean chit” to Sisodia as his premises were not covered under today’s search operation. The party claimed that the agency would otherwise have raided its leader’s house as he was named key accused in the case. “I have nothing to hide. I have done my job honestly. I have constructed schools and (if ED comes) they will get maps of a few more schools,” Sisodia said on his part.

The federal agency initiated a probe under the criminal sections of the PMLA after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR that had named Sisodia and 14 others in the alleged excise scam. The CBI had conducted raids in the case on August 19, covering the Delhi residences of Sisodia (50), IAS officer and former Delhi Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, and 19 other locations across seven states and UTs. Sisodia holds multiple portfolios in the CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, including excise and education.

The Delhi excise policy came under the scanner after Lt Governor VK Saxena in July recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in its implementation. He had suspended 11 excise officials in the matter. Sisodia, too, demanded a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the policy.

The Delhi BJP today carried out a signature campaign to seek public support for their demand for the removal of Sisodia and staged a protest outside Kerjriwal’s residence.

Signature drive for Dy CM’s ouster

Delhi BJP leaders on Tuesday carried out a signature campaign seeking public support for their demand of Manish Sisodia’s removal from the post of Deputy Chief Minister over his alleged involvement in the excise policy ‘scam’

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