Vinai Kumar Saxena, the lieutenant governor of Delhi, suggested that the Central Bureau of Investigation look into the disputed new excise policy implemented by the Arvind Kejriwal-led administration. According to a press statement from Mr. Saxena’s office, a report by the Chief Secretary dated July 8 found several legal infractions “in addition to purposeful and severe procedural errors to grant post tender unwarranted advantages to liquor licensees.”
The Lieutenant Governor specifically mentioned Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia while stating that the study suggests “significant” financial favors at the highest levels of politics.
The excise department’s minister in charge, Manish Sisodia, “made and got implemented important decisions/actions that had massive financial repercussions in contravention of the legislative requirements and the published excise policy,” according to Mr. Saxena’s office.
Additionally, he charged Mr. Sisodia with giving the liquor license holders improper financial favors even after the bids had been chosen, costing the exchequer “vast losses.”
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On November 17 of last year, the new Excise policy 2021–22, which awarded retail licenses to private bidders for 849 vends dispersed around the city and split into 32 zones, went into effect.
Due to their locations in unreliable parts of the city, several liquor outlets never opened. The local corporations sealed a number of these vending machines.
Both the BJP and the Congress have complained to the Lieutenant Governor and other government authorities, expressing their vehement opposition to the policy and asking for an investigation.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s trip to Singapore had earlier this week been thwarted by the Lieutenant Governor. The party retaliated, with Mr. Sisodia calling the action “mean politics” in action.
Simon Wong, the high commissioner for Singapore, sent an invitation to Mr. Kejriwal for the “World Cities Summit” in June. On August 1, he is anticipated to address the gathering.
