With the introduction of the Excise Policy 2021-22, the Delhi government had withdrawn from the liquor business, letting only private players operate liquor stores.
Search operations in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy row were launched by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at several locations across the country on August 19, including at properties associated with Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the excise portfolio.
The raids were carried out by the CBI on the recommendation of Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, who had alleged violation of rules along with procedural lapses related to the Arvind Kejriwal government’s Excise Policy 2021-22. A report filed by Delhi’s Chief Secretary in July noted prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010, they said. Further, it was reportedly found that the procedural lapses were an attempt to provide “undue benefits to liquor licensees”.
The raids came weeks after Sisodia had written to the central investigation agency to point out how Delhi’s former lieutenant governor Anil Baijal had suddenly altered his opinion on opening liquor stores in unauthorised areas. He had also highlighted how the LG’s decision to revoke his approval for the policy led to losses worth thousands of crores to the government, News18 reported.
With the introduction of the Excise Policy 2021-22, the Delhi government had withdrawn from the liquor business, letting only private players operate liquor stores. Licenses were issued to 849 retail vendors via open bidding by the excise department. However, the Delhi government had on July 30 announced that the Excise Policy that was implemented in November last year is being rolled back. The announcement had come just two days before the new liquor policy expired.
While the AAP government has claimed that the BJP is using central agencies like the CBI to threaten liquor licensees, the Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that the excise policy was implemented to benefit the liquor mafia.
