Excise Policy case: CBI issues Look Out Circular against eight accused, doesn't include Manish Sisodia

New Delhi: The row over the reported Look Out Circular (LOC) against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the Excise Policy case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation was put to rest after the agency issued a LOC against eight accused - all private persons in the case.
According to the CBI official, a total of nine private persons were named in the FIR, except for Manoj Rai, ex-vice president of Pernod Ricard, LOC has been issued against all private persons. Earlier today, reports emerged claiming the issuance of a LOC against Manish Sisodia and 14 others in the excise policy scam, following which the Aam Aadmi Party hit out at the Centre leading to a war of words between the AAP and BJP.
Sisodia alleged that the LOC against him was a "gimmick" by the Centre and said that he was roaming in Delhi openly.
He also said that the people of India will give a "Look Out Circular" to the BJP in the 2024 general elections.
"All the raids issued by you have failed, foul play of not even a single penny has been found. Now, you have issued a Look out Circular that Manish Sisodia is absconding. What is this gimmick, Modi Ji? I am openly roaming in Delhi. Tell me where do I need to come?" Sisodia tweeted attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hindi.
"Today, the country is looking for a leader who can give solutions to inflation, unemployment, and work to make India number one. What can they achieve by making Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia zero? The country needs a Prime Minister who thinks about Health and Education, the public will give a 'look out notice' to them in 2024 after asking about their huge promises," he said while speaking to ANI earlier today.
Earlier in the day after reports of LOC against him, he tweeted an old video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which the PM (as Gujarat chief minister) was hitting out at the then Central government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He also said that CBI found nothing during the search at his residence.
The BJP hit out at the Delhi Deputy CM for his remarks and said that he was "trying to mislead the public".
"Look Out Circular does not mean that the police is searching for you, but it means that you cannot leave the country," BJP leader Parvesh Verma said, adding that it is the "habit of AAP" to mislead the people.
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta termed Sisodia the "Liquor Minister".
"It is seen for the first time in independent India that the Education Minister is the Liquor Minister. Sisodia Ji, Look Out notice is issued for a person who is involved in criminal cases and corruption so that he does not run away from the country. You will be given a Look Out Circular not a Greeting Card for the corruption you've done," Adesh Gupta said in a press meeting.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who came out in defence of his Deputy earlier and called Sisodia the "best education minister", accused the Centre of working against the country at a time when it should be battling unemployment.
"Instead of fighting inflation and unemployment, the Centre is fighting with the country at a time when it should make efforts with the state government when crores of youth are unemployed and the common man is battling with inflation," Kejriwal said in a tweet.
"How can such a country progress whose leaders simply wake up in the morning and start their game of CBI and ED?" he said further.
Following the accusations, the CBI sources, during the day, had clarified that the LOC "might be issued soon as the procedure to do so is underway".
Later in the day, the LOC was issued against eight accused persons in the case which did not include Sisodia.
A senior CBI official confirmed that a total of nine private persons have been named in the FIR. Except for Manoj Rai, ex-vice president of Pernod Ricard, LOC has been issued against all private persons.
The accused who have been put on the list of LOC include Vijay Nair, former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company, Amandeep Dhal, owner of Brindco Spirits, Sameer Mahendru, owner of Indospirit, Amit Arora, director of Buddy Retail Pvt. Limited, Dinesh Arora of Radha Industries, Sunny Marwah of Mahadev Liquors, a proprietorship firm, Arjun Ramchandra Pillai and Arjun Pandey.
According to sources, during searches conducted at the premises of the accused persons on August 19, two accused were not found at their location and they remained untraceable. Although, summons have been issued to them to join the investigation into the matter.
In LOC, the concerned agencies inform the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) regarding an individual who might leave the country without informing law enforcement agencies. BoI updates the list of LOC to its officers at immigration checkpoints at international airports and seaports.
There are certain categories of LOC like where a person is completely banned to go outside the country and in a certain category he can go but have to take permission and inform the concerned law enforcement agency. (ANI)