CEL was on and it has been on for sometime.

The first thing to do would be to have the codes read as they may point you in the right direction.
If there is no real help there, then you have to start a basic "no start" diagnostic series of tests.

Here they are.

All "crank, no start" conditions are approached in the same way. Every engine requires certain functions to be able to run. Some of these functions rely on specific components to work and some components are part of more than one function so it is important to see the whole picture to be able to conclude anything about what may have failed. Also, these functions can ONLY be tested during the failure. Any other time and they will simply test good because the problem isn't present at the moment.
If you approach this in any other way, you are merely guessing and that only serves to replace unnecessary parts and wastes money.

Every engine requires spark, fuel and compression to run. That's what we have to look for.

These are the basics that need to be tested and will give us the info required to isolate a cause.

1) Test for spark at the plug end of the wire using a spark tester. If none found, check for power supply on the + terminal of the coil with the key on.

2) Test for injector pulse using a small bulb called a noid light. If none found, check for power supply at one side of the injector with the key on.

3) Use a fuel pressure gauge to test for correct fuel pressure, also noticing if the pressure holds when key is shut off.

4) If all of these things check good, then you would need to do a complete compression test.

Once you have determined which of these functions has dropped out,
you will know which system is having the problem.

If fuses were removed to check them, the Engine Computer lost its memory. That will be a second problem after the one that caused the original no-start condition. The Check Engine light was telling you the Engine Computer detected a problem. At that point, having the code(s) read would have indicated which circuit or system needed further diagnosis.

Unfortunately, Volksawagen is one of the few manufacturers that is more customer-unfriendly than General Motors. They both build in a lot of things into their cars to force you to go back to the dealer. If you visually checked your fuses without removing them, you might get away with diagnosing a simple no-start condition. If fuses were removed for inspection, or heaven forbid, the battery was disconnected or run dead, you'll need a tow to the dealer so they can unlock numerous computers.