The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who has summoned Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on April 16 in the now-scrapped liquor policy, is not ready to believe that the conspiracy happened without his knowledge, according to top CBI sources.
“We have some evidence and documents to suggest he was also aware of the facts. And possibly all was done with his knowledge and executed by Sisodia (Manish),” a top CBI source told News18.
The CBI wants to know the facts and circumstances under which the alleged conspiracy happened, the sources added.
According to the sources, the CBI top brass says Kejriwal’s arrest in the case is unlikely as the notice is under the section of witness statement recording.
Former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested on February 26 in connection with the case and has been in judicial custody since then.
Meanwhile, Sisodia’s personal secretary has been called for questioning by CBI on how Sisodia manipulated the liquor policy, and how many people had the hardcopies of the plans.
‘Liquor Policy Leaked Before South Lobby First’
CBI sources said South lobby was suspected to be pumped in for election purposes by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The South liquor lobby and AAP leadership entered criminal conspiracy before the policy was made public.
Sharad Reddy, Vijay Nair, Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders shared their views on policy before it was rolled out, according to the CBI. These people refuted the expert committee report because of the fear of cartelisation.
They also sought suggestions from eminent legal minds before the expert committee report including former chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and Senior Advocate General Mukul Rohatagi, which was also ignored, the CBI sources said.
They made their own draft of the policy and asked then commissioner Rahul Singh to place the file before the government. Instead of presenting the new draft, Singh had also given recommendations before the cabinet for which the AAP government transferred him.
Later, another commissioner was asked to put the file before the Group of Ministers without recommendations, and then the policy was made.
Tweaking of Policy and Quid Pro Quo
Between March 15 and 19, Sisodia called his secretary to the CM’s residence and gave him a pen drive to take out the prinouts of the policy, which was of 36 pages. On the same day, lobbyists, including K Kavitha’s former auditor Bucchi Babu and Palli were staying in the Oberoi Hotels in central Delhi.
They both went to the Oberoi Maiden at 3 pm and took printouts of “36 pages” as the digital investigation suggest.
The CBI says it feel these 36 pages are of the same liquor policy and can’t be mere coincidence.
The CBI says the South India dealers have taken the pen drive from the AAP leader who was staying next to Oberoi Maiden Hotel in North Delhi.
On March 15-16, the draft policy said 6% but on the final day it was made to 12%. The final policy came with an inclusion of special officer to oversee the policy execution.
This was added on behalf of this South India group so that their work remains smooth. It was found that Rs 100 crores was paid upfront to tweak the policy, out of which, Rs 30 crore was sent to Goa through an AAP channel and the remaining Rs 70 crore is still under investigation
The CBI is verifying some details, which it has received digitally from the accused.
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment