August 30, 2022: A team of 4 CBI officials have arrived at the Ghaziabad branch of Punjab National Bank where Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and his wife have a locker. The CBI is going through the contents of locker. This raid is in connection with the allegations of corruption levelled against the Deputy CM who is also the Excise Minister of Delhi with regard to the liquor policy.

The Enforcement Directorate and the CBI has been conducting raids on Sisodia for an alleged scam in construction of schools in the national capital and also the liquor policy (Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22) that stands withdrawan.

WHAT IS THE LIQUOR POLICY AND WHY THE CBI RAIDS

The CBI had said that Sisodia, who is the Excise Minister, introduced a new policy on who would be allowed to sell alcohol without the permission of the Lieutenant Governor, who is the centre's representative in Delhi. The new policy was introduced in November last year and withdrawn eight months later after an investigation was announced.

The policy was aimed at increasing drastically the number of private players with licenses to sell alcohol. In doing so, it hoped to earn more revenue for the government (through the licensing fee), to defang a powerful liquor mafia and to reduce the reach and appeal of the black market.

The CBI also said that the private parties who were awarded licenses included many ineligible vendors who paid bribes to the Delhi government.