Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday, 22 July, recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Arvind Kejriwal-led government's Excise Policy, 2021-22, alleging rule violations and procedural lapses, said officials.
The inquiry came on the basis of a report filed by the Delhi chief secretary, who elucidated that the policy was prima facie breaching GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules 1993, Delhi Excise Act 2009, and Delhi Excise Rules 2010.
An official statement by the LG's office said, "Minister In-charge of the Excise Department, Manish Sisodia took and got executed, major decisions/actions in violation of the statutory provisions and the notified Excise Policy that had huge financial implications," NDTV reported.
Addressing a press conference in light of the LG's recommendation, Delhi CM rubbished the case saying that it is manufactured.
Meanwhile, responding to the allegations, Sisodia took to Twitter to say, "Modi ji is very afraid of Kejriwal ji. People have become disillusioned with Modi ji. Now the country has hope only from Kejriwal ji. As AAP's influence grows across the country, there will be many more false cases."
Alleging that the policy is aimed at generating profits for private liquor barons, Saxena also claimed that Sisodia extended undue financial favours to the liquor licensees.
'Not Afraid of Jail': Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
In a press release on Friday, Delhi CM challenged the Union government saying, "We are not afraid of jail. We consider Bhagat Singh as our ideal who refused to bow before the British and hanged himself."
Responding to the LG's recommendations against his administration, he stressed that Manish Sisodia is a 'brutally honest' man, and the case against is fabricated.
Continuing his censure of the BJP-led government, he added that "there is a new system in our country."
"I told you 3-4 months ago that Manish Sisodia will be arrested. When I tried to find out what Sisodia had done, my sources answered, 'there is no case yet. They haven't found anything yet.' Today, our country operates under a new system. First, it is decided who needs to be sent to prison, and then, a case is fabricated against them."
Several other leaders of AAP also defended Sisodia, and alleged that vendetta politics was at play.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha claimed that ever since his party's victory in the Punjab polls earlier this year, the BJP had put all central agencies behind its leaders.
"As Arvind Kejriwal is moving ahead strongly across the country, the BJP has lost its sleep. After the AAP's victory in Punjab, the BJP has put all the agencies behind our people. In the past, every agency of the country got us investigated. Do it 1,000 more times and see. In the end, our honesty will win," Chadha tweeted.
The AAP's national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj also echoed his colleague's comments, saying that calls for a CBI investigation were made at the behest of the Union government.
'Liquor Policy Adopted in Delhi Illegally': Meenakshi Lekhi
Union minister and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said in a press conference on Friday, 22 July, that the people of Delhi are being 'deceived' as the liquor policy was adopted in Delhi 'illegally.'
Lekhi said that Kejriwal is answerable to the public in these discrepancies.
"People of Delhi were deceived. The liquor policy was adopted in Delhi illegally. Kejriwal ji should give a logical explanation with all the details," she said.
Lekhi questioned,
"Kejriwal ji should tell that on October 25, 2021, the Excise Department had given notice to those companies, which were given liquor licenses. What was the action taken in this matter? On July 14, 2022, without a cabinet note, a rebate of Rs 144.36 crore was given to the same companies without following the law?"
The Union minister said that in a democracy, Kejriwal must provide answers to these questions. She said that the CM's decisions on liquor policy were "taken in violation of the rules to benefit the liquor companies" and have caused immense loss to the public.
BJP leader Gautam Gambhir, meanwhile, took a potshot at the Delhi CM, calling him "thug-in-chief."
"Love of liquor and attack on Delhi, this is your government! Liar-In-Chief is now Thug-in-Chief!" Gambhir said on Twitter.
The Policy
Implemented in November last year, under the the new excise policy, retail licences were given to private bidders for 849 vends, across the city divided into 32 zones.
Many liquor stores failed to open for being located in non-confirming areas of the city. Several such vends were sealed by the municipal corporations, they said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress had vociferously opposed the policy and lodged a complaint with the LG as well as central agencies for a probe into it.
(With inputs from NDTV and PTI.)
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