Delhi L-G suspends 11 officials for lapses in implementation of excise policy

The action comes weeks after the L-G ordered a CBI probe into the alleged violations of rules while implementing new excise policy by the Delhi government. Three ad-hoc DANICS officers and six officials of the Delhi government’s excise department have also been suspended, the sources at the LG office said.

The Delhi L-G has suspended 11 officials, including former excise commissioner Arav Gopi Krishna, over lapses in implementing the city's excise policy, news agency PTI reported on Saturday. The move was taken a few weeks after the L-G asked the CBI to look into any rule breaches that may have occurred when the Delhi government implemented a new tax policy.

L-G Vinay Saxena suggested last month that the CBI should conduct an investigation into the Delhi excise policy that the Arvind Kejriwal administration introduced in November 2021. The L-G's response was based on a report from the chief secretary dated July 8 that found prima facie evidence of various regulations being broken "along with purposeful and severe procedural errors to offer post tender unfair benefits to liquor licensees."

The report also discussed the exchange of money for political favours at the highest levels. According to the report, Manish Sisodia, the minister in charge of the excise department, made significant choices and carried them out in contravention of the law. 

The Delhi government closed the state-run businesses and granted licences to private firms under the new excise policy. According to the administration, it will increase exchequer earnings. That, however, did not take place.

Meanwhile, Manish Sisodia on Saturday said that the LG office changed its mind barely two days before the inauguration of the liquor stores, after thoroughly reviewing the Excise Policy 2021–22 several times. The Delhi government "lost hundreds of crores as a result, and thousands of crores were benefited to a few shops," he said. The L-G amended the policy agreed by the Cabinet and himself just 48 hours before the shop opened, and the Deputy CM has requested an investigation to determine under what pressure this occurred.

(With PTI inputs)