ED questions Sisodia’s PA in excise investigation
The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday questioned deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s personal assistant Devendra Sharma in connection with its money laundering probe in the Delhi excise policy case. The questioning, and coinciding searches in Delhi-NCR, drew a sharp reaction from the AAP leader, who accused the agency of harassment.
Immediately after the searches were completed, Sisodia tweeted that ED had arrested his aide, alleging that the latter was being targeted because CBI had failed to find anything against him. CBI had earlier questioned Sisodia in the case.
ED, however, did not confirm about the detention or arrest of Sharma. CBI and ED have made one arrest each so far in the case. Sameer Mahendru, the MD of Indospirit, was arrested by ED and is currently in judicial custody. CBI had arrested Vijay Nair, said to be an influential figure in the AAP government.
The Delhi deputy CM is accused no. 1 in the CBI FIR that was lodged against him and 15 others on August 17 to probe liquor licensing.
Sisodia on Saturday claimed a “wrong FIR” had been registered against him on the basis of which raids were conducted at his house, his bank lockers were searched and a team of ED also searched his village house but nothing was recovered.
“Today they have raided the house of my PA and have not found anything so they have arrested and taken him away,” he said. Sisodia and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal have issued similar statements earlier too, insisting that the former had got a clean chit.
According to the CBI FIR, Nair and Mahendru allegedly assisted Sisodia in “framing and implementation of the excise policy of Delhi for 2021-22” which has since been scrapped. ED has questioned Mahendru on the suspected transfer of ‘proceeds of crime’ to ministers and bureaucrats. Mahandru is accused of having paid Rs 4-5 crore to public servants.
