New Delhi: Union Information and Broadcasting and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday termed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the kingpin of the Delhi Excise Policy case. Thakur questioned Kejriwal’s alleged links with AAP functionary Vijay Nair, arrested in the Delhi Excise Policy case. “My question is to the kingpin, who is ‘V’ and who received the message that ‘V needs money’. What is your relation with Arvind Kejriwal, Vijay Nair and was he present when the policy was being drafted? Was it?…” Thakur said while addressing the media. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in a case related to alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).
Since Sisodia’s arrest, several BJP leaders have alleged that Arvind Kejriwal is the mastermind of the alleged scam. The Enforcement Directorate arrested 51-year-old Sisodia from Tihar Jail on Thursday.
#Watch , Union Minister Anurag Thakur spoke on Delhi Liquor Policy matter; Says, “My question is to the kingpin, who is ‘V’ and who received the message that ‘V needs money’. What is your relation with Arvind Kejriwal, Vijay Nair and was he present, draft policy was being prepared?” pic.twitter.com/GKWzCk1Hcq– ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023
A special court remanded Sisodia to Enforcement Directorate custody till March 17 after the agency produced him before the special court on Friday. The ED claimed that Manish Sisodia “conspired” with others to frame a faulty excise duty policy to generate bribery and proceeds of crime to the tune of over Rs 290 crore.
Also Read: Manish Sisodia Earned Rs 290 Crore In Delhi Excise ‘Scam’: ED
Sisodia, he said, “conspired with other persons and was actively involved in the formulation of the faulty policy against bribery…Sisodia has played a role in generation, transfer, concealment of the proceeds of crime and presented it as unblemished”. Have done.”
Giving a short tabular column on the note, the ED claimed that Rs 100 crore was received as “kickback” from the liquor cartel’s ‘South Group’, Indospirits, an accused company in the case, made a profit of Rs 192.8 crore Which was “Proceeds of crime” arising out of irregularities committed in the Excise Policy 2021-22.
The policy was scrapped after the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi raised a red flag and asked the CBI to investigate. The ED took cognizance of the CBI FIR to register a money laundering case against Sisodia and others.
The agency also claimed that Sisodia made “false” statements to it during his interrogation in Tihar Jail on March 7 and March 9. He was in judicial custody after he was arrested by the CBI late last month in a related corruption case.
“When asked about his links with Dinesh Arora (another accused), who handled the transfer of kickbacks from South Group to Vijay Nair (the AAP functionary arrested in the case), he (Sisodia) replied contrary to what he disclosed. Given by independent persons/stakeholders,” the ED alleged.
It added that Sisodia formulated and implemented the policy “in such a manner” so as to give illegal benefits to certain individuals/entities in lieu of kickbacks.