The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday named Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as the top accused among 15 names in its First Information Report (FIR) filed in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. In the FIR, the CBI has pointed out several irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-2022. The CBI claimed that the move to fast track the liquor policy under the new excise regime was initiated without obtaining any authorisation from the competent authority for the purpose of receiving financial kickbacks from the liquor licensees.

Also Read: What is the Delhi liquor policy case and why is Deputy CM Manish Sisodia under CBI scanner?

“Praveen Kumar Rai, Director, MHA… has conveyed directions of competent authority for enquiry into the matter of irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22 by Central Bureau of Investigation. He has also forwarded a letter of L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena alleging irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy. The OM is enclosed herewith, which discloses that Manish Sisodia, Deputy CM; Arva Gopi Krishna, then Commissioner (Excise); Anand Tiwari, then Deputy Commissioner (Excise); and Pankaj Bhatnagar, Assistant Commissioner (Excise) were instrumental in recommending and taking decisions pertaining to excise policy for the year 2021-22 without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licencees post tender,” reads the FIR, according to The Indian Express.

The CBI’s FIR further mentions the role of individuals associated with the liquor trade in the alleged framework anomalies in the excise policy. “Apart from the above, reliable sources have revealed that Vijay Nair, former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company; Manoj Rai, ex-employee of Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, owner of Brindco Spirits; and Sameer Mahendru, owner of Indospirit, are actively involved in irregularities in framing and implementation of excise policy,” it further alleges.

The allegations take a serious turn where CBI, in its FIR, claimed, citing “sources”, that close aides of Sisodia, identified as Amit Arora, director of Buddy Retail Pvt Limited, Gurgaon, Dinesh Arora and Arjun Pandey, were involved in diverting funds collected from the liquor lobby, acquired as a result of the excise policy change, and transferring the proceeds to the accounts of the accused government officials.  

The FIR further cites a “source” to have revealed that some of the L-1 licence holders are “issuing credit notes to retail vendors with an ab-initio intention to divert the funds as undue pecuniary advantage to public servants” and are also “showing false entries in their books of accounts to keep their record straight”. “….Amit Arora, director of Buddy Retail Pvt Limited, Gurgaon; Dinesh Arora and Arjun Pandey are close associates of Manish Sisodia and are actively involved in managing and diverting the undue pecuniary advantage collected from liquor licensees to accused public servants. Source further revealed that Sameer Mahendru, MD, Indospirit, has transferred an amount of one crore to account of Radha Industries. Radha Industries is being managed by Dinesh Arora. Source further revealed that Arun Ramchandra Pillai used to collect undue pecuniary advantage from Sameer Mahendru for onward transmission to accused public servant through Vijay Nair. A person named Arjun Pandey has once collected huge cash amount of about Rs 2-4 crore from Sameer Mahendru on behalf of Vijay Nair,” it states.
The FIR concludes that facts prima facie indicate offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act on account of the accused. “The aforementioned facts prima facie disclose commission of offences punishable under Section 120-B, 477A IPC and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) on the part of (the named accused) and other unknown public servants and private persons,” it states.