New Delhi: Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia — who is in judicial custody — was re-arrested Thursday by another central agency in the liquor policy case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 26 February for his alleged role in the framing and implementation of the now-withdrawn Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
The CBI has accused Sisodia, who was in charge of the excise portfolio, of granting undue favours to vendors like waiver or reduction in liquor licence fees.
On Thursday, the Enforcement directorate arrested him in the same case, after two days of questioning. The ED has accused him of alleged money laundering while framing the liquor policy.
The ED arrest has made Sisodia’s defence more complicated since he is poised to appeal for bail before the CBI court on 10 March. The CBI court has sent him to judicial custody in Tihar till 20 March.
The excise policy was passed by the Arvind Kejriwal government in the middle of the Covid pandemic in 2021.
The Delhi government has countered the central agency charges by saying the excise policy was formulated to generate optimum revenue, eradicate the sale of spurious liquor and to avoid non-payment of duty on liquor.
The policy was, however, scrapped after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena ordered the CBI to take a look.
Also read: ‘Favours to liquor vendors’, ‘kickbacks’ — CBI raids Delhi Deputy CM’s home in excise policy probe