Manish Sisodia

The CBI on Sunday evening arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22 after nearly eight hours of questioning during which his answers were not found satisfactory, officials said.
Sisodia arrived at the CBI headquarters around 11.12 am for the second round of questioning, they said.
The officials of the Anti-Corruption Branch of the CBI grilled the minister on various aspects of the Excise policy, his alleged link with Dinesh Arora and other accused in the FIR, and details of message exchanges from multiple phones among others, they said.
The CBI investigators were not satisfied with the responses provided by Sisodia and alleged that he was not cooperating in the investigation and avoiding clarifications on crucial points sought by them resulting in his arrest, they said.
Before leaving for the CBI office, Sisodia had expressed apprehension that he may b

Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal

A court here on Thursday sent the director of an advertising company, who is alleged to have ran the AAP campaign during the 2022 Goa assembly polls, to ED's custody for interrogation in a Delhi excise policy-related money laundering case.
Rajesh Joshi, the director of Chariot Productions Media Pvt Ltd, was produced before Special Judge M K Nagpal, who sent him for custodial interrogation till February 13.
He was arrested by the ED on Wednesday.
The agency sought his ten days' custody, saying he was required to be confronted with other accused in the case to unearth the larger conspiracy.
It said the links of the advertising company promoter with regard to alleged diversion of "kickbacks" for the Goa assembly polls in 2022 are under the scanner of the agency.
The ED alleged in a chargesheet submitted to the court that a part of the alleged Rs 100 crore "kickbacks" generated in the scrapped Delhi excise policy were "used" in the 2022 Goa assembly election campaign of the Arvind ...

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressing members of All India Bullion Jewellers and Swarnkar Federation during their protest against the proposed hike in excise duty on jewellery at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi

The Delhi government's new excise policy (2022-23) is likely to be delayed as a high-level committee formed to frame its broad outlines has sought more time to submit its report, officials have said.
The committee constituted in August includes principal secretary finance, principal secretary revenue, excise commissioner and an expert member.
The Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn in July by the Delhi government after a CBI probe was recommended by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena into alleged irregularities in its implementation.
Announcing the withdrawal of the Excise Policy 2021-22, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said a new policy will be framed within six months.
The committee formed to give recommendations for the excise policy 2022-23 was stipulated to submit its report within one month.
However, it could not do so due to various reasons including the ongoing CBI probe into the excise policy 2021-22, the officials said.
"The committee has asked the government for m

BJP protest outside Kejriwal's residence

Delhi BJP on Monday staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in Civil Lines area here against the alleged irregularities in the AAP government's excise policy.
Attending the protest, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said Kejriwal should expel Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from his Cabinet as he is "accused number one" in the case registered by the CBI.
"Kejriwal is the kingpin of the whole scam in which liquor mafia was allowed to loot at the expense of state exchequer," he alleged.
Gupta said Delhi BJP workers will go door-to-door across the city to tell the people about the "corruption and excise scam" committed by the Kejriwal government.
A probe is underway by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged irregularities in the Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22.
The agency has filed a FIR against 13 people and two companies in connection with the alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the ...

West Delhi BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma

BJP MP from West Delhi claimed that the CBI has concrete proof that the Arvind Kejriwal government formulated the new excise policy in nexus with the liquor mafia and indulged in corruption

Excise Policy: HC asks Delhi govt to respond to plea challenging e-tender

The Delhi High Court Tuesday termed as "half baked" the criteria fixed by the Delhi government for grant of licences of retail vends of liquor here through electronic bids.

What's getting people hooked to Delhi Aerocity's popular bars, nightclubs

The Delhi government on Monday announced the new excise policy for 2021-22, which allows bars in hotels, clubs and restaurants in the national capital to operate till 3 am

chart

No immediate hike, marginal increase likely to be implemented only after lockdown is lifted

Bihar legislature passes the new Excise Bill

Bihar legislature passes the new Excise BillBoth houses of the Bihar legislature unanimously passed the new excise policy for the state, which carries upto capital punishment for those manufacturing or trading illicit liquor. The houses also adopted a resolution unanimously that its members will not consume liquor.
"Charity begins at home. If we are making a law, then we should unanimously pass a resolution from here itself. The message of unity in the form of a resolution that we will neither drink and nor promote drinking should go out to the people," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday in the state assembly while intervening in a debate on the Bihar Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The Chief Minister announced that the prohibition will be implemented in two phases.

Page 2 - Excise Bill

CBI arrests Manish Sisodia; CM Arvind Kejriwal terms it 'dirty politics'

Delhi excise policy: Advertising firm director in ED custody till Feb 13

Delhi's new excise policy likely to be delayed as committee seeks more time

Delhi BJP stages protest near CM Kejriwal's residence against excise policy

Delhi excise policy: CBI has proof of govt-liquor mafia nexus, says BJP MP

Excise Policy: HC asks Delhi govt to respond to plea challenging e-tender

Delhi govt unveils new excise policy; allows bars to operate till 3 am

Another excise hike for petroleum products on cards to offset revenue loss

Bihar legislature passes the new Excise Bill