Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The CBI carried out searches at the residences of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and IAS officer Arava Gopi Krishna at 19 other locations after registering an FIR in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, officials said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered the FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November last year, they said.
As part of the operation, the CBI teams reached 21 locations in seven states and UTs including the premises of Sisodia and former Excise Commissioner Krishna, a 2012-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, they said. The premises of two other public servants are also being searched.
The CBI inquiry was recommended on the findings of 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, they said.
According to officials, the report had shown prima facie violations, including “deliberate and gross procedural lapses”, to provide post-tender “undue benefits to liquor licensees” through the policy. A copy of the report was also sent to the chief minister, they said. Apart from this, there were also “deliberate and gross procedural lapses” to provide post tender “undue benefits to liquor licensees”, said the officials.
