Deleted file, officer’s account – CBI case vs Manish Sisodia: Sources

New Delhi:

With the help of a digital device seized from Delhi’s Excise Department, the CBI has unearthed the alleged role of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the case. Liquor Policy Caseagency sources said.

Mr Sisodia was arrested by the CBI last night after an eight-hour interrogation session.he has to be produced in court this afternoon. The senior AAP leader has faced allegations of corruption in bringing the now-cancelled liquor sale policy in the national capital. The party has denied the allegationsAccused the BJP-led central government of political vendetta.

According to sources in the central agency, a digital device was seized during searches at the Excise Department on August 19. Probing this, the agency traced one of the draft excise policy documents to a system that was not part of the excise department. network, sources said.

Sources said that when they questioned an excise department official in this regard, they found a clue of the computer in Sisodia’s office, adding that they seized the system from the deputy chief minister’s office on January 14.

Sources said that most of the files in the system had been deleted, but they managed to retrieve the records with the help of the CBI’s forensic team. He said that forensic examination revealed that the document under scanner was “externally generated” and received through WhatsApp.

The CBI then summoned a 1996-batch bureaucrat from DANICS – Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services, who had worked as Mr Sisodia’s secretary, and questioned him. ‘s file. Her statement was recorded before a magistrate in the first week of February.

Sources said the officer told investigators that Mr Sisodia called him to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in March 2021 and gave him a copy of the draft report of the Group of Ministers on the excise policy. CBI sources said the officer said Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, who is now in jail after his arrest in a money laundering case, was also present in the meeting.

Sources said that the “12% profit margin clause” was generated from this draft copy of the GoM report. CBI sources said there is no record of any discussion or any file regarding how the 12% profit margin clause was arrived at.

CBI sources said that during interrogation, Sisodia was asked about this draft document, but he refused to share the details.

In a statement issued yesterday after Mr Sisodia’s arrest, the central agency said, “He gave evasive answers and did not cooperate with the probe despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary.” “Therefore, he has been arrested,” the agency said.