The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday made a statement in which ED said to destroy digital evidence more than 30 VIPs changed 140 mobile phones.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged corruption is also involved in destroying the evidence.
Meanwhile, in the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, the ED told that liquor policy was “leaked” to certain liquor manufacturers before it was introduced.
Earlier on Thursday, in connection with alleged corruption two more people were arrested- Benoy Babu, Delhi regional head of French wine company Pernod Ricard, and P Sarath Chandra Reddy, director of Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.
“34 important persons involved/suspected to be involved in the excise scam have changed a total of 140 phones (valued at about Rs 1.20 crore) with the intention to destroy digital evidence during the relevant period,” the probe agency said.
“These persons include all the main accused, liquor barons, senior government officials, the excise minister of Delhi, and other suspects. The timing of the change of phone indicates that these phones were mostly changed just after the scam surfaced,” ED said.
However, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and in charge of the Delhi Government excise department Manish Sisodia was named as the primary accused and the FIR was also filed in August.
During interrogation, several people revealed that a “have revealed that bribe to the time of Rs 100 crore had been given in advance for undue benefits to select business groups to operate in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.”
“It has also been found that kickbacks and bribes were demanded and taken by the excise officials of Delhi for the opening of retail shops in Delhi.”
However, the Aam Aadmi Party government passed the excise policy in 2021-2022, over which lieutenant governor VK Saxena showed the red flag and recommended a CBI probe into the matter.