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

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday took Devender Sharma, personal assistant of Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, for questioning in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case.

Sources said that the central agency raided at least five locations in Delhi-NCR and brought Sharma to the ED headquarters. No arrests have been made so far, sources added.

Sisodia reacts

The agency is questioning Devendra Sharma and recording his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), media reports quoted source.

Also read: Delhi excise policy case: Manish Sisodia questioned for over 9 hours

Reacting to the development, Sisodia said, “They got my house raided through false FIR, searched bank lockers, went to my hometown but found nothing. Today they got ED to raid my PA’s house and nothing was found there too. They (BJP) fear losing the election.”

इन्होंने झूठी FIR कर मेरे घर रेड करवाई, बैंक लॉकर तलाश लिए, मेरे गाँव में जाँच कर ली लेकिन मेरे ख़िलाफ़ कहीं कुछ नहीं मिला
आज इन्होंने मेरे PA के घर पर ईडी की रेड करी वहाँ भी कुछ नहीं मिला तो अब उसको गिरफ़्तार कर के ले गये है.

भाजपा वालो! चुनाव में हार का इतना डर..

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 5, 2022

BJP counter attacks

BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia countered by saying he (Sisodia) is the accused number one and why probe agencies shouldn’t investigate such a case.

“The accusations by BJP were true as Kejriwal had to take back the excise policy, it proved our allegations,” Bhatia added.

“If you or your PA is innocent, then go to court and get your FIR quashed. This party plays victim card. As I mentioned earlier, we all have Aadhar card, pan card, voter ID card but this party has victimhood card,” a BJP leader said.

Earlier arrest

Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation had arrested Vijay Nair, another aide of Sisodia, in the liquor policy case. Nair along with Sisodia and 14 others has been named in the FIR.

Also read: Was Delhi’s rollbacked liquor policy success or failure? It’s lost in conflicting claims

Delhi’s new liquor policy was rolled back in July by the Kejriwal government. On July 30, Sisodia, who also heads the Excise department in the national capital, announced the scrapping of the government’s new liquor rules under Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, now, allowing only government-owned liquor vendors to operate in Delhi.