Top Stories

Kejriwal cries ‘Operation Lotus’ amid CBI’s action against Sisodia in excise policy case. story so far

August 23, 2022
Sezarr

The CBI is investigating Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia over allegations of corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy. Here’s a quick recap of the top developments in the case.

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia (left) and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at a press conference in Ahmedabad. (PTI photo)

highlighted

  • Sisodia claimed that the BJP offered him the post of CM if he left AAP and joined the saffron party.
  • Kejriwal called it an attempt to topple his government in Operation Lotus style.
  • The BJP denied the allegation and slammed AAP for playing the victim card.

Facing the heat of the CBI, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was “offered the chief minister’s post” by the BJP and that all matters if he left the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the saffron outfit. shut down.

Sisodia’s allegation gave further impetus to the ongoing tussle between AAP and BJP over Delhi’s excise policy. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the CBI-ED raids were an attempt to topple his government and announced that Operation Lotus has been foiled. The BJP denied the allegation and slammed AAP for playing the victim card.

The shocking claims of Sisodia, who holds education and finance among several departments in the Delhi government, came days after the CBI raided his house over allegations of corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy.

The story so far in the Delhi Excise Policy case is as follows:

  • The alleged scam came to light on July 22, when the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi recommended a CBI probe into alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the excise policy.
  • The Lt Governor’s recommendation for a CBI inquiry was based on a report by the Chief Secretary of Delhi, which found “Sufficient signs” of “financial quid pro quo” at “top political level” In which Manish Sisodia, the Minister in charge of Excise Department, “taken and executed major decisions/actions having huge financial implications in contravention of statutory provisions and notified excise policy.”
  • Under the direct order of Manish Sisodia, the Excise Department decided to allow liquor cartels to give an exemption of Rs 144.36 crore on the pretext of the Covid-19 pandemic causing huge loss to the exchequer, the report added. ,
  • As the controversy broke out and the opposition parties’ condemnation grew, Sisodia on July 28 directed the excise department to “revert” the old regime of excise policy for a period of six months till the new policy is in place. Delhi Will Return to the old excise system from September 1,
  • The matter caught fire when on August 19, CBI officials knocked on the doors. Sisodia’s house and search lasted for 15 hours, Raids were also conducted at 30 other locations across India and the agency registered an FIR against the AAP leader and 13 others for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the new excise policy.
  • The Aam Aadmi Party led by supremo Arvind Kejriwal made a spirited defense of Sisodia, accusing the Center of being vindictive. Meanwhile, the opposition BJP and Congress went to town with allegations of corruption.
  • When Sisodia insisted that he would cooperate with the CBI probe, he said the BJP was scared of Kejriwal and was using all means to intimidate the AAP chief. he also said Kejriwal and Narendra Modi will fight in 2024, The saffron party fired him back by terming him an “excuse minister” (a sentence on excise) and accused Kejriwal of being the kingpin of the “liquor scam”.
  • On August 20, the CBI recorded the statements of the three accused as soon as they began their inquiry in the Excise Policy case. It also handed over a copy of the FIR to the Enforcement Directorate. Sources said the ED is likely to register a money laundering case against Manish Sisodia based on the CBI’s FIR.
  • In a new twist in the ongoing saga, on 22 August Sisodia claimed that BJP approached him with an offer to quash all cases against him If he joined the party. He also alleged that the saffron party had promised him that he would be given the chief minister’s post if he splits the AAP. The BJP strongly denied the allegation and accused him of trying to divert attention from the allegations of corruption.
  • Meanwhile, the Center has suspended senior IAS officer A Gopi Krishna and DANICS officer Anand Kumar Tiwari in connection with the Delhi Liquor Policy case. Krishna was the Excise Commissioner in the Delhi government, while Anand Kumar was the Deputy Excise Commissioner. Both of these were named in the CBI FIR.
  • On Monday, the main accused, including alleged close associates of Manish Sisodia, were CBI questioned in excise policy caseSources told India Today. The five accused who were questioned include Sunny Marwah, Amandeep Dhal, Amit Arora, Sameer Mahendra and Arun Ramchandra Pillai.

(with PTI inputs)

— the ending —