KEJRIWAL ON DELHI'S LIQUOR POLICY: "THIS IS REASON BEHIND LOSS...

In the midst of a dispute over Delhi's tax policy, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Gujarat on Sunday, claimed that while the excise policy was expected to generate between Rs 4,000 and 5,000 crore, there was a loss of revenue as a result of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's intervention.

“Excise policy of AAP was supposed to generate revenue of Rs 4000-5000 crore but just two days before its implementation LG made many changes to it due to which 300-400 shops could not be opened. Their licence fees and revenue did not come. This is the reason behind less revenue,” Kejriwal told mediapersons here.

This comes after national BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its response to the RTI's fresh revelations about the Excise Policy scam case.

The "New Liquor Policy of AAP," according to Poonawalla, resulted in a substantial loss. He claimed that a loss of between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,300 crore occurred in 288 days.

“AAP’s New Liquor Policy caused a loss of almost Rs 2000-2300 crore. The previous liquor policy had earned Rs 768 crore in September alone which means nearly Rs 25 crore per day, while the new policy could earn Rs 5,036 crore in 7.5 months meaning Rs 14.4 crore a day,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said underscoring that the new policy should have garnered profit instead of bearing a loss of Rs 8 crore per day.

Poonawalla continued by asserting that "Sharab ghotaala" was far larger than this and that this was only the "tip of the iceberg."

In addition to this, he said that there were several more losses brought on by the AAP leaders' and middlemen's commissions in the creation of "Sharab policy for the Sharab mafia."

He added that same money was used by the AAP government in the Punjab elections and is currently being used in Gujarat.

Gujarat elections are scheduled to take place shortly, and the political parties are working hard to secure a victory.

The BJP spokesperson added that the AAP "plays the victim card" or diverts attention whenever questions about liquor policy are raised.

AAP ka Paap has been exposed, according to Poonawalla, who referred to the new excise policy implemented by the AAP government in the nation's capital as "Paapkari."

When the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a raid on Manish Sisodia's home on August 18 in relation to the alleged fraud in the implementation of the Delhi government's liquor policy, the situation came to light.

Sisodia was one of 15 people who were detained as part of a CBI-filed FIR. Excise authorities, executives from alcohol companies, dealers, a few unidentified governmental personnel, and private individuals have all been arrested in the case.

Sisodia, who is in charge of the excise department, has come under scrutiny for alleged intentional and gross procedural errors that gave liquor licensees for the years 2021–2022 an unfair advantage during the tender process.

In the midst of the deadly Delta Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, the excise policy was approved by the Delhi Cabinet, which is led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

According to the Delhi government, the policy was developed to ensure maximum revenue generation, end the sale of fake or un-duty paid alcohol in Delhi, as well as to enhance user experience.

In relation to alleged corruption in the excise policy for 2021–2022, the CBI had opened a case.

It was alleged that irregularities were committed, such as changes to the Excise Policy, and that licence holders received undue favours, such as a waiver or discount on the licencing fee or an extension of the L-1 licence without permission.