Excise policy row: CBI got President's approval before booking Manish Sisodia
Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act requires Presidential assent to investigate a legislator in Union Territories. For excise officers, the Lieutenant Governor is the permitting authority.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation secured prior mandatory approval of the President of India before filing a corruption case against Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in connection with alleged irregularities in Delhi government’s excise policy 2021-22, people familiar with the matter said. The agency had issued routine lookout circulars against Sisodia and other accused as well, they said.
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Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act requires Presidential assent to investigate a legislator in Union Territories. For excise officers, the Lieutenant Governor is the permitting authority.
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“An FIR was filed against Sisodia on August 17 only after receiving the 17A sanction from the President’s office. Once the FIR was registered, the LoCs (look our circulars) were issued against all named 13 individuals, including Sisodia, so that immigration authorities are alerted in case anyone travels out of India,” an officer said, declining to be named.
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Post the March 2, 2016, slip-up, when former liquor baron Vijay Mallya left the country for the UK, the CBI has started issuing LoCs against accused persons in almost all cases “as a precaution”.
