India's financial crime fighting agency raided the premises of several aides of Sanjay Singh, a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, on Wednesday in connection with a case involving Delhi's now-scrapped liquor policy.
Sources in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it was conducting searches in several locations, including the residences and offices of Ajit Tyagi, a close associate of Mr Singh, and other businessmen and contractors who allegedly benefited from the policy.
After the 10-hour raid, ED officials took Ajit Tyagi and another aide Vivek Tyagi for questioning.
The case relates to allegations that Mr Singh and his associates played a role in the Delhi government's decision to grant licences to liquor shops and distributors in 2020, causing losses to the state exchequer and violating anti-corruption laws.
Mr Singh, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, denied any wrongdoing and accused the central government of political vendetta. Delhi's Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is among those who have been arrested in the case.
"[Prime Minister Narendra] Modi's intimidation is at its peak. I am fighting against Modi's dictatorship. The fake investigation of ED was exposed in front of the whole country. ED accepted its mistake to me. When nothing was found, today, ED raided the house of my colleagues Ajit Tyagi and Sarvesh Mishra. Sarvesh's father is suffering from cancer. This is the highest level of crime. No matter how much you try to threaten us, the fight will continue," he said on Twitter.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which governs Delhi, has been locked in a bitter feud with the BJP, which rules at the national level, over various issues and says it is using the so-called liquor scam to settle political scores.
The Enforcement Directorate is one of several agencies that have been accused by opposition parties of being misused by the central government to target its critics and rivals. The agency has denied any bias or political interference in its investigations.
Shreyas Iyer Sends Reminder To IPL Franchises, Slams Stunning Ton In Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Axar Patel Surprises Delhi Capitals Fan Contest winners ahead of IPL 2025 Auction Delhi Woman Kills Her 5-Year-Old Daughter To Marry Man She Met Online Election Results 2024 LIVE: With Thumping Win, Maharashtra Decides Real NCP, Sena Election Results: Rahul Says Will Analyse Maharashtra Results In Detail Jharkhand Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: INDIA Bloc Wins 30 Seats Devendra Fadnavis Is PM Modi's Favourite, Says Mother Sarita Fadnavis Jammu And Kashmir Police Hiring For 669 Posts, Registration Begins On Dec 3 "America Going Bankrupt Super Fast": Elon Musk Offers Solution Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.