The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned at least 10 officers of Punjab's Excise & Taxation department in the case pertaining to the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam case under which AAP leader Manish Sisodia is currently lodged in judicial custody. As per reports, the 10 Punjab officers were called to Delhi for questioning on Monday and Tuesday. As per reports, the summons against the Punjab officers were issued by Rajiv Kumar, additional SP, CBI, Delhi. The summons have been served to the officers under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and it was sent through the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department. It is pertinent to mention here that the ED questioned three Punjab officials, including financial commissioner excise and taxation KP Sinha, in the Delhi excise scam.
It is pertinent to mention here that during the Monsoon Session 2023 on August 3, SAD leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal claimed that the Punjab excise policy was similar to the one being probed in Delhi, and was framed to benefit a few companies and pass back money to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Not only this, the Bathinda MP has asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to investigate into the alleged liquor scam in Punjab. The Union Minister had claimed that it has caused loss worth “hundreds of crores” to the state exchequer. Reportedly, the former Union Minister had also submitted a presentation in this regard after being told by the Home Minister.
What are the allegations against Manish Sisodia?
As per reports, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and others have been accused of deliberately keeping some loopholes while drafting the Delhi Excise Policy Scam so that a few private companies exploit it later on and a huge amount of money was allegedly paid as advance kickbacks or bribe to the politicians and other public servants involved. However, the accusations are still to be proven in a court of law.
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Manish Sisodia's arrest
The Enforcement Directorate arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on money laundering charges in excise policy case after questioning him inside Tihar jail. Manish Sisodia was interrogated on various aspects of the case including alleged destruction of evidence by changing phones frequently, changing the profit margin for wholesalers from five percent to 12 percent, kickbacks paid by the alleged South Group to Vijay Nair on behalf of AAP leaders and the decision to change policy related Group of Ministers report.