Delhi, India: On April 25, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia and three others in the Delhi Liquor Scam case.
According to sources the supplementary chargesheet has been filed under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (Cheating) and other sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. An official confirmed that the supplementary chargesheet has been filed against Manish Sisodia, Amandeep Singh Dhall, Arjun Pandey and Butchi Babu Gorantla in the Delhi Liquor Scam case.
In its first chargesheet in the case, CBI alleged that around Rs 20-30 crore was arranged by suspect Abhishek Boinpally at the behest of South Group and paid to Vijay Nair via Dinesh Arora in cash between July and September 2021. Furthermore, it has been alleged that Manish Sisodia intervened personally to get Mahendru-promoted Indo Spirit’s application processed after anomalies were initially flagged.
It is pertinent to note that former Excise Commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna’s name is also mentioned in the chargesheet in column 12 as a suspect. Furthermore, the Court noted that out of the four accused, two accused Manish Sisodia and Amandeep Dhall are in judicial custody presently. Though, Butchi Babu Gorantla has been granted bail in the matter on March 6, 2023. Arjun Pandey was never arrested in the case by the prosecution agency, noted the Court.
Architect of the Criminal Conspiracy
On March 31, a Delhi Court denied bail to Manish Sisodia in the Delhi Liquor Scam case. The Court said Manish Sisodia can “prima facie be held to be the architect of the said criminal conspiracy.”
The Special Judge MK Nagpal observed that “The payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs. 90-100 crores was meant for him and his other colleagues in the GNCTD and Rs. 20-30 crores out of the above are found to have been routed through the co-accused.” Furthermore, the Court added, “in turn, certain provisions of the excise policy were permitted to be tweaked and manipulated by the applicant to protect and preserve the interests of South liquor lobby and to ensure repayment of the kickbacks to the said lobby.”
The Court noted, “formulation of a favourable policy for them was being ensured at every cost and a cartel was permitted to be formed to achieve monopoly in sale of certain liquor brands of favoured manufacturers and it was permitted to be done against very objectives of the policy,” and therefore, the Court observed that Manish Sisodia can prima facie be held to be architect of the said criminal conspiracy.
The Delhi Court expressed apprehensions about Manish Sisodia’s destruction or tampering with evidence against him or influencing witnesses if he is released on bail. The Court said that Manish Sisodia, “there may be serious apprehensions of destruction or tampering of some further evidence and even of influencing of some prime witnesses of this case by him or at his instance, in case he is released on bail by the court.”
The Delhi Court said, “This court is not inclined to release the applicant on bail at this stage of investigation of the case as his release may adversely affect the ongoing investigation and will also seriously hamper the progress thereof.”
[with inputs from ANI]
