Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal repeated a huge claim that the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia would be arrested soon the BJP hit back and gave details of the allegations against Sisodia. The trading of allegations and sharp attacks comes as Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Kejriwal Government’s new liquor policy.
This is not the first time that Kejriwal has alleged that his deputy would be arrested. He had made similar comments earlier, too, before Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested over a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Addressing a press conference, Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi said that the AAP Government violated rules and procedures to promote cartelisation to benefit liquor companies in Delhi. She 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. The BJP MP said that the people of Delhi were deceived. “The liquor policy was adopted in Delhi illegally. Kejriwal should give a logical explanation with all the details,” she said.
Lekhi added: “Kejriwal should tell that on October 25, 2021, the Excise Department had given notice to those companies, which were given liquor licences. 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?”
She further said that an earnest money deposit of Rs 30 crore was returned, causing a huge loss to the State exchequer.
Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said that the issue was first raised by the BJP and their stand was justified today after the L-G recommended a CBI probe into the new excise policy. He said the Kejriwal Government had announced the opening of liquor contracts in all 272 wards of Delhi, but Sisodia had said in the Assembly that there were 100 such wards in the Capital where liquor shops can’t be opened as it would lead to violation of the Master Plan. In such a case, why were these shops opened in all wards? He alleged that it was said in the Assembly that the State Government would tell Delhiites how to drink or serve liquor and that five schools would be opened for this purpose. Bidhuri said that the excise policy framed by the Delhi Government is a big fraud and this policy has benefitted the liquor mafia.
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also alleged that the Government’s decision had “benefited the liquor mafia”. He said that when this new policy came into force, at that time 2.5 per cent commission was given to liquor contractors, which was later increased to 12.5 per cent. This means that 10 per cent of the profit was passed on to the liquor mafia, he charged.