ED may launch money laundering probe into Delhi Excise Policy

India

oi-Deepika S

New
Delhi,
Aug
19:
The
Enforcement
Directorate
(ED)
is
likely
to
initiate
a
money
laundering
investigation
over
the
framing
and
execution
of
the
AAP
government’s
excise
policy.

The
move
comes
after
the
CBI
raided
Delhi
Deputy
Chief
Minister
Manish
Sisodia
and
others
in
the
matter.

The
federal
agency
is
understood
to
be
examining
details
of
the
CBI
case,
the
involvement
of
various
government
officials
and
private
individuals
and
the
possible
trail
of
illegal
money
generated
in
the
process
before
it
files
a
formal
case
under
the
criminal
sections
of
the
Prevention
of
Money
Laundering
Act
(PMLA).

AAP
supporters
detained
for
protesting
CBI
raid
at
Manish
Sisodia’s
residence
|
VIDEO

The
Central
Bureau
of
Investigation
(CBI)
Friday
raided
the
Delhi
residence
of
Sisodia,
50,
that
of
IAS
officer
and
former
Delhi
excise
commissioner
Arava
Gopi
Krishna
and
19
other
locations
across
seven
states
and
Union
Territories
after
it
registered
an
FIR
to
investigate
alleged
irregularities
in
the
formulation
and
execution
of
the
Delhi
Excise
Policy
brought
out
in
November
last
year.

The
policy
was
scrapped
by
the
Delhi
government
in
July.
Sisodia
holds
multiple
portfolios
in
the
Chief
Minister
Arvind
Kejriwal-led
Delhi
government
including
that
of
excise
and
education.

The
scheme
came
under
the
scanner
after
Delhi
Lt
Governor
V
K
Saxena
last
month
recommended
a
CBI
probe
into
alleged
irregularities
in
the
implementation
of
the
Excise
Policy
2021-22.
He
also
suspended
11
excise
officials
in
the
matter.

Sisodia
too
demanded
a
CBI
probe
into
the
alleged
irregularities
in
the
policy.

The
CBI
inquiry
was
recommended
based
on
the
Delhi
chief
secretary’s
report
filed
in
July
showing
prima
facie
violations
of
the
GNCTD
Act
1991,
Transaction
of
Business
Rules
(ToBR)-1993,
Delhi
Excise
Act-2009
and
Delhi
Excise
Rules-2010,
officials
said.

Aaccording
to
PTI,
the
ED,
during
its
probe,
will
analyse
if
individuals
and
companies
who
were
involved
in
the
policy
making
and
related
entities
generated
any
“proceeds
of
crime
under
the
definition
of
PMLA”
and
if
there
was
any
possible
creation
of
illegal
or
benami
assets.

There
should’ve
been
10
CBI
raids:
Cong
on
CBI
raid
on
Delhi
Dy
CM
Sisodia

The
agency
has
powers
to
attach
such
assets
and
question,
arrest
and
prosecute
those
who
indulge
in
the
offence
of
money
laundering.
According
to
officials,
the
chief
secretary’s
report
had
shown
prima
facie
violations,
including
“deliberate
and
gross
procedural
lapses”,
to
provide
post-tender
“undue
benefits
to
liquor
licensees”
through
the
policy.

It
is
alleged
that
undue
financial
favours
were
extended
to
liquor
licensees
after
the
tenders
were
awarded,
causing
loss
to
the
exchequer.

The
excise
department
gave
a
waiver
of
Rs
144.36
crore
to
the
licensees
on
the
tendered
licence
fee
on
the
excuse
of
COVID-19,
sources
told
PTI.
They
added
it
also
refunded
the
earnest
money
of
Rs
30
crore
to
the
lowest
bidder
for
the
licence
of
the
airport
zone
when
it
failed
to
obtain
a
no-objection
certificate
(NOC)
from
airport
authorities.

“It
was
in
gross
violation
of
rule
48(11)(b)
of
the
Delhi
Excise
Rules,
2010,
which
clearly
stipulates
that
the
successful
bidder
must
complete
all
formalities
for
the
grant
of
the
licence,
failing
which
all
deposits
made
by
him
shall
stand
forfeited
to
the
government,”
a
source
told
PTI.

The
Excise
Policy
2021-22,
formulated
on
the
basis
of
an
expert
committee
report,
was
implemented
from
November
17
last
year
and
retail
licenses
were
issued
under
it
to
private
bidders
for
849
vends
across
the
city,
divided
into
32
zones.