Manish Sisodia Is Kingpin Of Conspiracy In Liquor Policy Case, Statements Of AAP Leaders In Press Conferences Effort To Shield Him: CBI To Delhi HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation has told the Delhi High Court that Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is the kingpin of the conspiracy in alleged liquor policy scam case and the statements made by other party leaders in various press conferences is an effort to shield him.

Opposing Sisodia’s bail plea, the probe agency has said that the matter involves a “deep-rooted and multi-layered conspiracy” in which Sisodia, who allegedly has remained non-cooperative and evasive during investigation, is a key link to unearth the modus operandi.

Contending that Sisodia enjoys close nexus with the executive and bureaucrats, CBI has said that the AAP leader’s party colleagues holding high ranks “continue to make factually wrong claims” claiming that Sisodia is the victim of a political vendetta and to influence the investigation.

“A perusal of the said statements by these leader(s) during the press conferences would revealhow the entire efforts of not only the Applicant but his party colleagues as a whole are to shield the accused herein. The statements also undermine the authority of the Ld. Special Judge (CBI), having already taken cognizance of the offences, and are being made ot adversely impact the investigation by levelling unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegations against theCBI, thereby influencing and deterring the witnesses of the case,” the CBI has said in its reply.

Sisodia is currently in judicial custody in the cases registered by the CBI and ED. He was denied bail by the special judge in CBI case on March 31. The trial court will pronounce order in his bail plea in the money laundering case on April 26.

CBI has further submitted that further investigation has revealed that one Amandeep Singh Dhall, the Director of an entity namely M/sBrindco Sales Private Limited, conspired with Vijay Nair and others for generating cash towards payment of 6% commission out of the enhanced 12% wholesale profit margin to the South group as per the new policy.

“The concernedcabinet ministers as well as the Chief Minister, during the course of investigation, confirmed that the policy was formulated by the Petitioner and governed solely by the excise personnel, which Ministry was headed by Sisodia,” the reply states.

It adds: “That the Applicant is the kingpin and architect of the conspiracy herein. His influence and clout disentitle him to any parity with the co-accused. The Applicant has been confronted with sensitive documents and witnesses and is as such fully aware ofthe line of investigation. There is every likelihood that ni case hte Applicant si released on bail, he shall tamper with theevidence and influence witnesses, more specifically in light of his past conduct to derail the investigation.”

The AAP leader was arrested by the CBI on February 26 after an interrogation of more than 8 hours. He was named as an accused in the FIR. It is the case of the probe agency that there were alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy for the year 2021-22.

The CBI alleged that Sisodia was arrested as he gave evasive replies and did not cooperate with the investigation despite being confronted with evidence.

The CBI FIR states that Sisodia and others were instrumental in “recommending and taking decisions” regarding the excise policy 2021-22 “without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licensee post tender.”

On the other hand, ED has alleged that the excise policy was implemented as part of a conspiracy to give wholesale business profit of 12% to certain private companies. It has said that such a stipulation was not mentioned in the minutes of meetings of Group of Ministers (GoM).

The agency has also claimed that there was a conspiracy which was coordinated by Vijay Nair and other individuals along with South Group to give extraordinary profit margin to wholesalers. Nair was acting on behalf of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, according to the agency.

Also Read: No Money Trail Found By CBI In Liquor Policy Case, Allegations In ‘Realm Of Likelihood’: Manish Sisodia To Delhi High Court

Title: Manish Sisodia v. CBI