New Delhi, May 17 (IANS): Former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, had allegedly pressurised ex-Delhi Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi Krishan to grant L-1 licence to Indospirit despite knowing that there were complaints of cartelisation and blacklisting pending against the firm.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has mentioned this fact in the second supplementary charge sheet filed in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam, a source said on condition of anonymity.

Arva Gopi Krishan in his statement has accused Sisodia of strently directing him to issue L-1 wholesale licence to Indospirit on its second application. Krishan alleged in his statement that when he told Sisodia that there were complaints pending against IndoSpirits of cartelisation and black listing, he was again strently directed to help Indospirit.

The CBI has mentioned that Sisodia knew clearly that the partners of Indospirit had submitted a second application to escape the objections raised in the first application. The source said that despite knowing all these, Sisodia was helping the firm.

"Sisodia pressurised the excise officials and asked them to grant licence to Indospirit despite knowing that the firm was allegedly involved in cartelisation and could have been blacklisted. C. Arvind, secretary to Manish Sisodia, told the CBI officials that as per the directions of Sisodia, he pursued the matter of issuance of L-1 licence to Indospirit with Arva Gopi Krishan," the CBI has alleged in the charge sheet.

The CBI had claimed in the first charge sheet that ill-gotten money to the tune of Rs 29.29 crore was transferred to the members of South Group through Indospirit. The CBI called this money a kickback.