CBI Raids Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Over Liquor Policy

AAP government's controversial liquor policy..

On Friday (today), The CBI launched raids against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia over allegations linked to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's controversial liquor policy that was scrapped last month.

As per the information, The probe agency has filed an FIR and is investigating allegations of corruption in the new Delhi Excise Policy launched by the AAP government in November, under which liquor shop licenses were handed over to private players.

According to an official, Besides Manish Sisodia's home in Delhi, the CBI carried out searches in 20 locations across seven states. ?Former Delhi Excise Commissioner A Gopikrishna's home in Daman and Diu was also searched, officials said.

Manish Sisodia tweeted this morning: "CBI is here at my residence. I will cooperate with the probe agency, they will not find anything against me." Further said, Mr Sisodia said the Centre was "troubled" by the "excellent work done by the Delhi government in the health and education sector" and that is why ministers of both departments were targeted. Satyendar Jain, the Delhi Health Minister, has been in jail since May.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the Excise Policy after the Delhi Chief Secretary filed a report in July alleging violation of rules and "deliberate and gross procedural lapses".

On July 30, Mr Sisodia announced a rollback of the policy, which handed over liquor sale licenses to private players, shutting down government outlets.