Delhi liquor policy case: Manish Sisodia’s aide Dinesh Arora set to turn approver

Businessman Dinesh Arora, who according to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is a close aide of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, is set to turn into an approver in the Delhi liquor policy case. Arora, who is also an accused, approached the Delhi Rouse Avenue court and said he will reveal all the truth about his role in the case.

Sisodia is the prime accused in the case.

On Monday, while hearing CBI’s plea, Special Judge MK Nagpal said that he would first record Arora’s disclosure statement, before pronouncing order on the plea to make Arora an approver in the case.

Also read: ED questions Manish Sisodia’s PA in the Delhi liquor policy case

Arora says will cooperate with CBI

Earlier in the day, Arora took an oath that he would truthfully and voluntarily give information about his involvement. “I have cooperated during the investigation of the case… have also made certain statements before the investigation officer in this regard,” he said.

Arora was granted bail by a Delhi court last week and the CBI had not opposed it.

The CBI today had filed a petition in a city court saying Arora would be their witness in the case. The CBI has said the businessman cooperated with investigators and gave key information.

Earlier, the CBI in its had FIR said that Amit Arora, Dinesh Arora and Arjun Pandey were “close associates” of Manish Sisodia, and were actively involved in managing and diverting the money collected from liquor licensees.

The controversial liquor policy

The new excise policy by the Aam Aadmi Party government was red-flagged by lieutenant governor VK Saxena over alleged corruption and a CBI probe was recommended.

Sisodia, who was in charge of the Delhi government’s excise department, was named as the primary accused in the FIR filed in August that said that some persons were provided undue benefits during the tender process for liquor licenses in 2021-22.

Also read: Manish Sisodia: BJP plans to arrest me in ‘fake’ case, keep me out of Gujarat

Sisodia, who was last month questioned for about nine hours, refuted all allegations and accused the BJP of attempting to topple the AAP government in Delhi.

“The whole case is fake. The case isn’t to probe any scam against me but to make Operation Lotus successful in Delhi,” he had said.