Delhi’s lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Friday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to inquire into the Delhi government’s excise policy, 2021-22, flagging procedural lapses in its implementation which he suggested were intended to benefit private liquor barons and individuals “at the highest echelons of the government”, people familiar with the matter said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government introduced the new liquor regime in November, 2021 saying it would clean up malpractices and improve user experience.
The LG’s decision was based on a report prepared by chief secretary Naresh Kumar, dated July 8, which stated that the policy, prima facie, was implemented in violation of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR) 1993, Delhi Excise Act 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules 2010.
Kumar’s findings mentioned that the violations were indicative of financial quid pro quo at the top political level, wherein deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia took and got executed, major decisions and actions in violation of the statutory provisions. Kumar is empowered under the ToBR 1993 to flag any deviation from laid down procedures to the LG and the chief minister. A copy of his report on the irregularities in the Delhi Excise policy 2021-22 was sent to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as well.
A senior official in the LG office requesting anonymity said the LG in his note stated that the government, in total disregard of every other segment of Delhi’s business and economy, singularly favoured the alcohol merchants by allowing waiver amounting to ₹144.36 crore on tendered license fee on account of Covid-19 pandemic. This was done despite the fact that no specific provision for compensation in the form of reduction in tendered license fee was available in the tender document and resulted in blatant undue benefit to licensee and loss of ₹144.36 crore to the public exchequer.
Reacting to the allegations, Kejriwal dismissed the case as fake denying any truth on it.
“I have been saying that they will arrest Manish Sisodia. There is a new system in India. They decide who has to be jailed, then a fake case is created against that person. This case is fake. There is no truth in it”, Kejriwal said.
“You (BJP) are followers of Savarkar, who apologised to the British. We are followers of Bhagat Singh who refused to surrender to the British and sacrificed his life. We are not frightened of going to jail”, he added.