The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Dinesh Arora, a businessman considered close to jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia, in the Delhi…
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Dinesh Arora, a businessman considered close to jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia, in the Delhi liquor policy case.
Arora had turned approver for the CBI in the same case last year. He had been arrested for questioning earlier too but this time round his answers were evasive and he was being uncooperative.
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Arora was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a thorough questioning. Today, he will be produced before a local court.
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The ED has claimed in its chargesheet against Arora that Sisodia received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 2.2 crore from one Amit Arora, owner of Buddy Retail Pvt Ltd, through Dinesh Arora. This was in lieu of favours in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
With Arora being arrested, this is the 13th arrest in the case by the ED.
The ED has filed five chargesheets, including the one against former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia.
On Arora’s court request for protection from arrest last year, when the Delhi liquor policy case had surfaced, the CBI had clarified to the court that Arora had joined the probe giving full co-operation with vital leads for further investigation.
The CBI registered a case in August 2022. It subsequently issued a lookout circular against eight people who were named accused in the case.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s most trusted man, Manish Sisodia faces, corruption allegations in bringing a new liquor sale policy in the national capital.
In 2022, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had ordered a CBI probe. The Delhi government then reverted to the old liquor policy. It started blaming the Lt Governor for the loss of revenue worth crores of rupees. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government claimed that the new excise policy would have earned huge revenue had it been continued but due to the controversy it could not be.
Now, the CBI is focusing on the alleged role of businessmen in the Delhi liquor policy for personal monetary benefits using middlemen, traders and government officers.
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