AAP’s communication strategist arrested in liquor policy case

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In connection with its investigation into the alleged scam regarding the Delhi excise policy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested Vijay Nair, who is termed a close aide of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

The CBI in its first information report (FIR) into alleged irregularities in Delhi’s Excise Policy 2021-22 has named Sisodia, Nair and 14 others. The agency has alleged that Sisodia, Nair and others took decisions pertaining to the excise policy without the approval of the competent authority.

In July this year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government withdrew the policy after Delhi lieutenant governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.

Who is Vijay Nair?

Nair was the CEO of Mumbai-based entertainment and management company Only Much Louder (OML). He quit the position in 2017. He had faced allegations of “sexual misconduct” in 2016. During his stint as CEO at OML, Nair was involved in big-ticket live music shows and festivals such as NH7 Weekender, News18 reported.

Nair’s association with the AAP started in 2014, with his role limited to social media strategy, party events and fundraising. For close to five years, his work revolved around handing social media for the party. However, in 2019, he began managing the party’s electoral campaign. Apart from communication, Nair was also advising party leaders on strategies and policy matters, according to a report in The Indian Express.

The AAP says, “Vijay Nair is the communication in-charge of the party. He was responsible for developing and implementing communication strategies in Punjab earlier and Gujarat now.”

AAP’s take on Nair’s arrest

The party in its statement says, “Vijay Nair has nothing to do with excise policy. He was called for questioning last few days and was pressurised to take name of Manish Sisodia. When he refused to do that, he was threatened that he would be arrested.”

The statement adds, “His house was raided twice in the last one month, but nothing was found. This is a part of ongoing BJP’s attempt to crush AAP and obstruct AAP’s Gujarat campaign. The whole country is watching how BJP is completely rattled by AAP’s growing popularity across India. BJP is unable to digest rapidly growing vote share of AAP in Gujarat.”