CBI probing plan to influence Delhi excise regime of 2020-21

After the 2021-22 policy was scapped in August last year, the Delhi government enforced the 2020-2021 regime which is currently operational in the city

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the Delhi government’s proposed excise policy 2020-21, which is currently in operation, as well as the now-scrapped 2021-22 regime, in which former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh have been arrested, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court on Tuesday.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh was recently arrested in connection to the Delhi excise case. (PTI)

The federal financial crimes probe agency also said that it has recovered certain “confidential documents” from Sanjay Singh, which attracts Official Secrets Act, 1923 (OSA) against the AAP leader.

After the 2021-22 policy was scrapped in August last year, the Delhi government enforced the 2020-2021 regime which is currently operational in the city.

Referring to the AAP MP’s role in the 2020-21 excise policy, ED alleged that Singh was involved in conspiracy of extending favours to private people in the formulation of the framework before the “conspiracy” regarding the excise policy of 2021-22 was hatched.

“Singh had assured to get changes through Manish Sisodia in the then proposed policy of 2020-21 to increase brand registration criterion for IMFL brands at the behest of (businessman) Amit Arora and (his close aide) Dinesh Arora,” ED said in its remand note for Singh, who was arrested by the central agency on October 4.

“Amit Arora wanted this clause to be included in the 2020-21 policy that was supposed to come then. The reason for this was that in the then existing policy the brand registration criterion prescribed only a minimum sale criterion which was very low at that time and because of which the local brands were gaining more by brand pushing and paying kickbacks even though their brands were non-existent in any other states/markets. The brands that Amit Arora’s business sold were relatively high end and highest selling brands in some other states. But the brands were not doing well in Delhi because of the government controlled retail stores,” the agency said in the note.

In exchange for this, Vivek Tyagi, an associate of Sanjay Singh, was given stakes in Amit Arora’s Aralias Hospitality Pvt Ltd, ED said in the note.

Accordingly, ED claimed, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was prepared and was signed by Dinesh Arora, Amit Arora and Vivek Tyagi. Amit Arora also transferred 20% shares to Dinesh Arora and Tyagi, the note said.

“The whole plan was in place but soon after, discussion on a new excise policy 2021-22 started which was led by (AAP communication in-charge) Vijay Nair and no change was brought in 2020-21 policy,” the agency said.

ED said a reference under PMLA section 66 (2) — furnishing information formally to another agency — was sent to CBI in this regard on August 10 “in the matter pertaining to conspiracy in the formation of excise policy in the year 2020.”

In response to this letter, CBI has informed that “the information shared by ED has been taken on record for further investigation under RC 0032022A0053 (CBI’s only FIR in which Sisodia has been arrested)”.

About the confidential documents, ED said during searches on Singh’s house on October 4, it seized “certain confidential documents which are not in public domain”.

“It is suspected that these confidential documents found at his residence are print of images taken in the office of ED and the same are obtained illegally, and that he is withholding the critical information about source of the said document which was in his possession. The same attracts Official Secrets Act, 1923 also as the seized document is confidential in the form it is found,” ED said.

The AAP rejected the charges against its leaders. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, AAP MP Raghav Chadha said, “Truth and honesty are on the side of AAP and we will fight till the end. BJP may make thousands of attempts and jail whichever AAP leader they want under any false case. In the end, truth, honesty, Arvind Kejriwal and AAP will win.”