Excise policy row: BJP hits out at AAP, says Kejriwal govt violated rules, promoted cartelisation to benefit liquor firms

Delhi LG VK Saxena has recommended a CBI probe into Excise Policy 2021-22 of the AAP government over alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses.

New Delhi: Shortly after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Delhi Excise Policy, the BJP hit out at the Arvind Kejriwal government, saying it violated the rules and procedures and promoted cartelisation to benefit liquor firms in Delhi. The allegations were made by Union Minister and senior BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who defended his deputy and Excise minister Manish Sisodia after a CBI probe into the Excise Policy 2021-22 was recommended by Lt Governor VK Saxena, Lekhi said the CM claimed a "scam" in the liquor trade in Delhi led to huge losses to the public exchequer.

"The AAP government violated rules and procedures to promote cartelisation to benefit liquor companies in Delhi," Lekhi said and claimed that a waiver of over Rs 144.36 crore was given to licensees and earnest money deposit worth Rs 30 crore of one company was refunded without following rules and processes.

At a press briefing, Kejriwal claimed Sisodia will be framed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a fake case and defended him as "Kattar Imandar" (dead honest person) who developed world-class education in Delhi.

The chief minister also said Sisodia, like his colleague Satyendar Jain who is presently behind bars in an alleged money laundering case, could also be arrested in a "fake" case. Lekhi said she did not know who will go to jail but there were documents and signatures of people establishing their culpability in the decisions taken and irregularities committed in executing the new excise policy.

Saxena has recommended a CBI probe into Excise Policy 2021-22 of the AAP government over alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses.

Delhi Deputy CM Sisodia heads the excise department of the Delhi government. At the online press briefing, Kejriwal said he has known Sisodia for 22 years. "I came to know that a case has been sent to the CBI against Manish Sisodia and the agency is going to arrest him in a few days. It is a completely fake case. There is not even an iota of truth in this case," the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.

"This case will not hold in court. Manish is a hardcore honest man and he will walk free," he said. Kejriwal also said AAP leaders are not afraid of going to jail as they have done no wrong.

The CBI inquiry was recommended on the basis of a report filed by the Delhi chief secretary earlier this month, showing prima facie violations of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, the Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR), 1993, the Delhi Excise Act, 2009 and the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, officials said.

According to sources, the LG has found "substantive indications" of "financial quid pro quo" at the "top political level", wherein the excise minister "took and got executed major decisions in violation of statutory provisions" and notified the excise policy that had "huge financial implications".

(With Agency Inputs)