LG's big action amid the fight on liquor in AAP-BJP, 11 officers including the then Excise Commissioner suspended

 

AAP-BJP clashed over liquor, while LG suspended 11 officers:  At present, there is a sharp stance between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP regarding the liquor policy in the politics of Delhi. On Saturday 6 August, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia targeted former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal by holding a press conference. He said that earlier the LG had no objection to opening liquor shops in unauthorized areas, but had changed his stand just before the shops opened. He has demanded a CBI inquiry in this regard. Responding to this, BJP leader Sambit Patra said that Manish Sisodia had also allowed blacklisted companies to sell liquor.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has suspended 11 officials, including the then Excise Commissioner of Delhi Arva Gopi Krishna and Deputy Excise Commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari, for making serious lapses in the implementation of Excise Policy 2021-22. Three ad-hoc DANICS officers and six officers of the Excise Department of the Delhi government have also been suspended, sources in the Lt Governor's office said.

At the same time, LG took major action in view of the serious lapse on the part of the concerned officials in the implementation of the excise policy. The mistakes committed by the officials include irregularities in finalization of tender and grant of post-tender benefits to selected vendors. The LG took action on the basis of an inquiry report filed by the Directorate of Vigilance (DOV).

A week after the Delhi government announced scrapping of its new liquor policy, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said he has written a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) requesting a probe. Former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had abruptly reversed the decision to open shops in unauthorized colonies. At whose behest he took this decision, it should be investigated.