New Delhi:
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena last night ordered the transfer of 12 IAS officers following the raids on Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia over charges of corruption in the drink policy.
The bureaucratic reshuffle came hours after Manish Sisodia, who also manages the excise department, was raided by the CBI and named in the First Information Report of FIR as an accused for alcohol policy violations.
Mr. Sisodia is number one on a list of 15 accused named in the CBI’s FIR. The offenses listed in the 11-page document are corruption, criminal conspiracy and forgery of accounts.
In addition to Mr Sisodia’s home in Delhi, 31 other locations were searched by the CBI in seven states. After the 14-hour raid, Manish Sisodia said his computer and phone were seized by the investigative agency.
Under the policy launched in November, off-licences were transferred to private players. It was overturned on July 30 by Mr Sisodia after an investigation was launched by the Economic Offenses Department of the Delhi Police Department.
The CBI states that Mr. Sisodia has introduced the new policy on who is allowed to sell alcohol in Delhi without permission from the Lieutenant Governor, who is the representative of the center in Delhi.
In its FIR, the CBI alleged that a liquor dealer has paid Rs 1 crore to a company operated by an employee of Mr Sisodia. The investigation agency states that beverage companies and intermediaries were “actively involved in irregularities in the formulation and implementation” of the excise policy.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had recommended the CBI probe last month following a report by the Chief Secretary about irregularities in the new alcohol policy.
The lieutenant governor has accused AAP of bringing the excise policy “for the sole purpose” of favoring private liquor barons for financial benefits to “individuals in the highest echelons of government in the run-up to Manish Sisodia”.
Mr Sisodia denied any wrongdoing and said the BJP is misusing the central authorities for political ends. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener has also strongly supported his deputy.
AAP says Mr. Sisodia has been targeted because the Center was outraged by the front page scream at him in the DailyExpertNews on Thursday.