Delhi excise policy probe: ED conducts raids at about 40 locations across country

The ED on Friday launched fresh raids at about 40 locations across the country as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the now scrapped Delhi Excise Policy, official sources said.

The searches are being conducted at premises linked to liquor businessmen, distributors and supply chain networks in Nellore and some other cities in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Delhi-NCR, they said.

This is the second round of raids being conducted by the federal agency in this case after it first conducted searches on September 6 at about 45 locations across the country.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) case of money laundering in the excise policy stems from a CBI FIR in which Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and some bureaucrats have been named as accused. The excise policy has been rolled back now.

The CBI had conducted raids in the case on August 19, covering the Delhi residences of Sisodia (50), IAS officer and former Delhi excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna, and 19 other locations across seven states and Union Territories. Sisodia holds multiple portfolios in the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government including excise and education.

The ED is probing if alleged irregularities were done in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought out in November last year and if some alleged "proceeds of crime" in terms of tainted money was generated by the accused. The agency also is expected to question AAP leader and minister Satyendar Jain in the Tihar jail in connection with this case on Friday after it obtained permission from a local court to do so.