BJP accuses Sisodia of leaking excise policy, destroying evidence

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Sisodia and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal gave undue favours to their friends and took ₹100 crore in advance

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday hit out at Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia for allegedly leaking the scrapped 2021-22 excise policy to his “friends” months before it was made public and destroying “digital evidence” to hide the scam.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra. (HT PHOTO)

“The policy was made public on July 5, 2021, but a copy of it was leaked to Sisodia’s friends, manufacturers, and the cartel on May 31, 2021, so that they can be prepared….The excise department uploaded licences of 3,400 companies between 10pm and 7am, which are not official working hours on Sisodia’s direction,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

The allegations came a day after the Enforcement Directorate arrested Aurobindo Pharma’s promoter P Sarath Chandra Reddy and wine and spirits company Pernod Ricard’s executive Benoy Babu in its probe into the policy. The agency claimed the policy was leaked to certain manufacturers at least 45 days before it was made public.

Patra cited the remand letter and said Sisodia and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal gave undue favours to their friends and took ₹100 crore in advance. “Two businessmen have been arrested and from these two they have taken ₹100 crore advance payment. Just imagine the scale of the scam.”

Patra said the policy led to a loss of ₹2631 crore to the exchequer and alleged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Sisodia tried to destroy evidence. “When the scam came to light and the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] started the investigation, 140 mobile phones were changed by 34 people to hide the digital evidence. In this, Sisodia is accused number one. He and his friends destroyed 140 mobile phones to hide the evidence on which they spent ₹1.20 crore.”

He said Sisodia knew he was in trouble and that is why he asked for the files to change the notation. “...Sisodia...knew that he committed corruption, a crime which is beyond what anyone in Delhi could have imagined...that is the reason why he wanted the files...”

Patra called AAP India’s most corrupt party. “The entire game here was to make cartels and cause loss to the exchequer,” said Patra.

He also attacked AAP over its 10 promises ahead of the municipal polls. “Those who have warrants issued against them cannot give guarantees. They promised they would not join politics, not take government vehicles and accommodation, stop corruption, but they did just the opposite…”