Amid an ongoing war of words between the Narendra Mod-led BJP and the Aam Aadmi party, the Centre has now suspended two senior officers - A Gopi Krishna (IAS) and Anand Kumar Tiwari, a DANICS officer - in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. It may be noted that Krishna was the excise commissioner in the Delhi government and Anand Kumar was the deputy excise commissioner.

The Centre issued the suspension order for the two officials after they were named in the FIR filed by the CBI in connection with its ongoing probe into the case, the officials said.

While Krishna is a 2012 batch Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre officer, Tiwari is a 2003 Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Civil Service (DANICS) cadre officer.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is among the 15 individuals and entities named in the FIR registered by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22.

The agency on Friday carried out searches at 31 places including Sisodia's residence and premises of some bureaucrats, including Excise Commissioner Krishna and two other Excise Department officials, and businessmen.

Sisodia denies corruption allegations and makes sensational claim

AAP no. 2 and Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has denied any wrongdoing and irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi government's Excise Policy 2021-22. He has claimed that the senior AAP leaders are being targeted by the BJP government at the Centre due to fear of the Kejriwal-led party's growing political influence in the country.

(With inputs from agencies)