Federal probe agency calls Delhi’s deputy CM for questioning in excise policy case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s probe agency, has called Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for questioning in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case nearly three months after filing the charge sheet in the case, officials said on Saturday.

Sisodia, called on Sunday for questioning, has not been named as accused in the charge sheet, they said.

Arrested businessmen Vijay Nair and Abhishek Boinpally were among the seven accused named in the charge sheet.

It is alleged the Delhi government’s policy to grant licences to liquor traders favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP.

“It was further alleged that irregularities were committed including in modifications in Excise Policy, extending undue favours to the licensees, waiver/reduction in licence fee, extension of L-1 licence without approval etc.

“It was also alleged that illegal gains on count of these acts were diverted to concerned public servants by private parties by making false entries in their books of accounts,” the CBI spokesperson had said.

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