A CBI probe has been recommended into Kejriwal government’s Excise Policy, 2021-22, over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses. Officials said on Friday that a CBI inquiry was suggested by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on chief secretary’s report filed earlier this month. The report show showing prima facie violations of GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009 and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, officials added.
Apart from this there were also “deliberate and gross procedural lapses” to provide post tender “undue benefits to liquor licensees”, said the officials. While BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa welcomed the moved Aam Aadmi Party MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that the L-G was working at the behest of the Centre.
“Earlier too the Centre tried to stop Delhi government’s decisions and work through the L-G. At that time they had investigated 400 files but didn’t find anything. The present L-G has directed a CBI inquiry on the directions of the central government to implicate Manish Sisodia in a false case,” Bhardwaj said.
The new Excise policy 2021-22 was implemented from November 17 last year under which 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 BJP and Congress had vociferously opposed the policy and lodged complaint with the L-G as well as central agencies for a probe into it.
(With inputs from PTI)
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