Delhi liquor scam.
Delhi liquor scam.
Delhi Liquor Scam: The problems of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are increasing due to Delhi’s liquor policy. One after another AAP leaders are on the radar of central investigating agencies. On October 5, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the ED after a long interrogation. After the arrest of Sanjay Singh, now ED has issued summons to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and called him to appear on November 2. However, even before this the ED had called him for questioning in the month of April. At that time, ED had asked him about 56 questions during his long interrogation.
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected the bail plea of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in this case. Let us know what is the liquor policy of Delhi, due to which the problems of Aam Aadmi Party have increased.
What was Delhi’s liquor scam?
Manish Sisodia, while heading the Excise Department of Delhi, had announced the new excise policy in March 2021. He had said that under the new policy the government will have no role in the sale of liquor. Only private shops were allowed to sell liquor. For this, permission was given to open shops in 500 square feet area. Also, none of the shop counters will be on the road. The goods of liquor shops will be sold in Delhi, he had expressed the fear of increase in revenue by Rs 1500-2000 crore due to the new policy. In the new policy it was said that the total number of liquor shops in Delhi will remain 850 as before. Under Delhi’s new liquor sale policy, home delivery of liquor and shops were allowed to remain open till 3 am. Licensed liquor was heavily discounted. After this, the new liquor policy was implemented in November 2021.
How did the investigation begin?
This policy of the Delhi government soon ran into trouble. Many complaints were made about increase in license fees, change in policy without informing the Cabinet and the Lieutenant Governor and misappropriation of funds and the opposition party BJP had also raised many questions on the government regarding the policy. An investigation was started on the basis of complaints of these irregularities. On July 8, 2022, Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar submitted the report to Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena. The report said that the arbitrary and unilateral decisions taken by Sisodia as Excise Minister had caused a financial loss of more than Rs 580 crore to the exchequer. After this report, Governor VK Saxena had recommended an investigation from the Home Ministry. CBI had registered the case on August 17, 2022.
How was Delhi’s new liquor policy different from the existing policy?
The new liquor policy envisaged taking the state out of the liquor business to allow it to reach its full potential. Delhi was divided into 32 zones, each of which had 27 liquor shops, meaning each of the 272 municipal wards had two-three private liquor shops. The policy was aimed at curbing black marketing and liquor mafia, increasing revenue, improving consumer experience and ensuring uniform distribution of liquor shops across the capital. Licensees were given complete freedom to give discounts and set their own prices instead of selling at the MRP set by the government.
Which leaders were tightened in the liquor policy scam?
So far 15 people have been arrested in Delhi’s liquor scam. In November last year, AAP’s communication in-charge and former CEO of event management company Only Much Louder Vijay Nair was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested on February 26, 2023 and Sanjay Singh was arrested on October 5. Apart from these, former Pernod Ricard employee Manoj Rai, former Ricard India regional head Benoy Babu and South Group member Abhishek Bonpalli, Indospirit owner Sameer Mahendru, Buddy Retail owner Amit Arora, Arvindo Group promoter P Sarath Chandra Reddy, are also implicated. Have done. CBI has also interrogated Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao’s daughter K Kavitha and his former CA Buchibabu Gorantla. The names of former Akali Dal MLA’s son Gautam Malhotra, Chariot Production director Rajesh Joshi and South Group member Raghav Magunta also appeared in it.
Why was Sanjay Singh arrested?
Sanjay Singh’s name first surfaced in December 2022 in the liquor policy scam. The ED had then mentioned the AAP leader’s name as part of the statement of businessman Dinesh Arora in the chargesheet. According to media reports, Dinesh Arora told the Enforcement Directorate that he initially met Sanjay Singh, through whom he later met Manish Sisodia during a party at a restaurant.
The charge sheet said that at the behest of Sanjay Singh, arrangements were made to give money to Sisodia to collect party funds for the elections. In the complaint given by Arora, it was also said that he had talked to Sisodia 5 or 6 times and had a meeting with Sanjay Singh with Kejriwal at his house.
