The investigation agency has made a formal complaint and is looking into charges of corruption in the new Delhi Excise Policy that the AAP administration unveiled in November.
In response to allegations related to the contentious alcohol policy that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government abandoned last month, the CBI today conducted raids against Delhi's deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia.
In addition to Manish Sisodia's residence at Delhi, the CBI conducted searches in 20 places in seven states. The residence in Daman and Diu of former Delhi Excise Commissioner A Gopikrishna was also searched, according to officials.
The investigation agency has filed a FIR and is looking into claims of corruption in the new Delhi Excise Policy, which was introduced by the AAP government in November and allowed private businesses to receive booze shop licenses.
This morning, Manish Sisodia tweeted: "CBI is there at my house. I'll work with the investigation team, and they won't uncover anything against me."
Ministers from both sectors were targeted, according to Mr. Sisodia, because the Center was "troubled" by the "great work done by the Delhi government in the health and education sector." The Delhi Health Minister, Satyendar Jain, has been incarcerated since May.
Arvind Kejriwal, the chief of the AAP and the mayor of Delhi, predicted that Mr. Sisodia will be the subject of investigations "Greetings from CBI. willing to assist fully. There have also been a lot of tests and raids in the past. Nothing erupted. Still, nothing is erupting."
The BJP has been accused by the AAP of continually attacking its ministers as part of a political strategy to obliterate competitors. On the "day the Delhi education model was hailed and Manish Sisodia's picture was posted on the front page of America's top newspaper NYT," according to Mr. Kejriwal, the CBI showed up at Mr. Sisodia's house.
After the Delhi Chief Secretary submitted a report in July claiming rule violations and "deliberate and severe procedural errors," Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena suggested that the CBI conduct an investigation into the Excise Policy.
The Lieutenant Governor said last month that the AAP administration's excise policy was created "with the sole objective" of helping private liquor barons so that people "at the highest echelons of the government" may receive financial rewards.
According to Mr. Saxena's declaration, "Minister In-Charge of the Excise Department, Manish Sisodia took and got executed important decisions/actions that were in breach of the legislative provisions and the published Excise Policy and had significant financial ramifications."
On July 30, Mr. Sisodia announced the reversal of the policy, closing down government-run stores and giving booze selling permits to private parties.
