Congress Wants Delhi Liquor Scam Probe to Include BJP Leaders

The Delhi faction of Congress has pressed for the rapid creation of a Public Accounts Committee so that an investigation into the CAG report regarding the former AAP government’s excise policy can be done. It has further mandated that the scope of the investigation should be broadened to encompass the alleged involvement of certain BJP leaders.

As an opposition party, they also insisted that other 13 remaining CAG reports on the performance of AAP government be made public and deliberated upon.

The CAG report on liquor policy of 2021-22 was presented in the assembly by new Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta from the BJP, during the second day of the first session of the newly elected assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference at Congress’s 24 Akbar Road head office, Devender Yadav, President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee said that they lodged a written complaint with the investigating agencies of the liquor issue and have “proves” of BJP’s “involvement” in it.

He further requested clarification on why none of the 14 CAG reports were submitted in the House on Tuesday. The Delhi Assembly has now been extended until the 3rd of March.

Preity Zinta Zinta's loan not in probe: Mumbai Police debunks write-off claim "We would like the CAG report to be framed for the Public Account Committee to look into the matter. In such a case, they should get formed as soon as possible to allow for the report to be examined and for those who participated in the plunder to be prosecuted," Yadav claimed. Although the PAC is led by an opposition figure, Delhi is unique in that the government has headed it, hence these reports ought to be subject to public debate, Yadav said. Yadav alleged that there are several important questions about the conduct of a few senior BJP politicians and the former Lieutenant Governor that the CAG report conveniently left out. "Who made the decision to change three excise directors in one year and why? New liquor brands were introduced in Delhi, this is a matter that needs to be investigated. The previously stated governor had authorized the implementation of the pliable liquor policy set out by the Kejriwal government. Why has nothing ever came of this?" Yadav stated.

A step must be taken to analyze how licenses were issued for the opening of liquor outlets in contradiction to the master plan, he added.  
Yadav also told that liquor shops cannot be established without the permission of Municipal Corporation and further informed that the BJP was in control of MCD during that period.  
But even then, the BJP let the state government open liquor stores in unpermitted zones. " In three words the CAG report is jhooth, loot and phoot," said Yadav.  
He further said that it is impossible to comprehend how CAG has further stipulated that all the resources that have been provided towards Delhi have been eaten out. The AAP government kept saying that we are increasing the government's revenue, but the truth is Rs 2002 crore was looted,” Yadav claimed.  
He noted that advice of an expert committee has not only been neglected, but has disregarded the principal too.  
The reported outcome is, he asserts, the disputes arising from the division of responsibilities between the two parties – AAP and BJP.

In support of Congress’s claims, Yadav claimed that the scope of investigation concerning “the liquor scam” must be made broader, and there has to be an inquiry regarding the written complaint that Congress filed against the BJP. “A public inquiry needs to be held regarding the misinformation on the liquor scam.”

While speaking at the press conference, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit stated that the information in the report clearly points out the fact that there had been shifts in the liquor policy’s objective in the region.

"In the past, the implementation encompassed 77 entities, however, it was later curtailed to only 14, which Set aside the 77. These 14 are also linked to each other. A few stem from regions of the country that have a Political nexus of family members with the AAP government," he uttered.

Dikshit alum the details of the liquor policy were floated during the month or two preceding the implementation of the policy.

"A number of employees were stating that the matter got talked about stemmed from some apprehension that the policy stemmed out of the existing inter relation between the government and liquor contractors, and their personal interests. This issue requires a detailed inquiry," Dikshit argued.

In a report by CAG that was published in the assembly on Tuesday, new chief minister Rekha Gupta has claimed that the Government of Delhi suffered cumulative losses of more than Rs 2000 crore owing to the defective implementation of the 2021-2022 excise policy. CAG claims these losses stemmed from a weak policy framework as well as inefficient implementation of the policy. 

The report, one of 14 prepared by the Gupta administration regarding the works of previous AAP government, focused on scrutinizing over one dozen issued licencing in detail. Gupta relied heavily on the document that Manish Sisodia, who was the Deputy Cheif Minsiter and Excise Minister at the time and now infamous for being ‘the liquor policy scam central’, had not considered using any suggestions put forth regarding changes issued by the expert committee that he had formed. 

The Kejriwal regime is infamous for having excise policy entirely suspended due to rampant violations and extra legal prerogatives being executed throughout its enforcement and claiming to be the sole reason for winning the recent Assembly polls after 27 years, while the BJP contested elections after season of ripe winter munitions. 

All three leaders, Sisodia, Kejriwal, and Singh are released on bail however, charge sheets contain some evidence against them. 

I understand these violations are considered largely as a reason the opposition was reinstated. 

Vijender Gupta, Assembly Speaker of the current term said this will be passed to the newly reformed Public Accounts Committee of The House.