SAD seeks CBI, ED probe into Punjab's excise policy 'scam'; meets Governor
CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit seeking a probe by the CBI and ED into the "Rs 500 crore scam in the state's excise policy".
The AAP government in Punjab framed the "tailor-made" excise policy in line with the one in Delhi which has been found "illegal" and is under the CBI scanner, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said after submitting the memorandum to the governor.
In July, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.
Following this, the AAP-led Delhi government withdrew the new liquor policy.
On August 19, the CBI raided 31 locations, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's residence, over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
"Like in Delhi, a similar scam has taken place in Punjab. It is a scam of Rs 500 crore," Badal alleged.
"We have requested the governor to recommend probes by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate into the excise policy scam in Punjab," he said.
He claimed the AAP government in Punjab followed the "Delhi Model" while framing the state's excise policy and some senior Punjab officials had held a meeting with Sisodia for framing the policy.
The Delhi chief secretary had in his report stated that the Delhi excise policy is "a quid pro quo arrangement at the top level", Badal claimed.
Since the Punjab excise policy was "a copy of the one in Delhi", the role of Sisodia, AAP MP Raghav Chadha, the Punjab excise minister and other private persons should be probed, the SAD chief said.
"Like in the case of Delhi, the same set of conditions were introduced to oust Punjab liquor traders from the race by introducing a clause that the L-1 (wholesale) licensee should not be a manufacturer anywhere in India and abroad," Badal said.
"The new liquor policy also stipulated that L-1 licensees should have a turnover of at least Rs 30 crore per annum and the licensees should not have a stake in the retail market in Punjab," Badal said, adding the "guaranteed profit margin was also increased from five per cent to 10 per cent."
The SAD delegation alleged that accordingly 80 per cent of the liquor trade in Punjab was handed over to two companies.