Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claims there is no liquor scam in Delhi and the case over Delhi government’s excise policy was created before Manish Sisodia was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva pondered over the fact that if there was no scam, why did the AAP government scrap the excise policy.
Aam Aadmi Party withdrew this excise policy in 2022 after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena probed the CBI to investigate on the violation of norms and lapses. While addressing a press conference, Kejirwal insisted that his government will ensure complete cooperation with the investigation conducted by CBI into the allegations; however, the Excise Policy of 2021-2022 is scrapped now.
Sisodia claimed that the policy was the most transparent policy in the country and that this policy was also implemented in Punjab which led to an increase in revenues by 48%. However, Sachdeva wonders if Kejriwal has contacts with the person who was accused in the case as the court denied bail continuously on four different occasions.
Moreover, the leader of BJP also wonders why the deputy chief minister changed his mobile phone. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said that the amount spent on this liquor scam was Rs.6000 crore.
BJP MP Parvesh Verma said that since the liquor scam of the AAP government is exposed, Kejriwal is now defending Sisodia. After three months of filing the chargesheet, the CBI called Sisodia for questioning. However he is not yet accused of anything and the investigation is still ongoing.
The deputy chief minister was also held in charge but Sisodia claimed that nothing was found while searching his house and bank lockers. The deputy chief minister strongly believes that the CBI is using the middlemen, liquor traders and public servants in their favor for the formation and implementation of the liquor policy. Lastly, claims have been made that the licenses granted to liquor traders were a result of bribery by the Delhi government.