The Liquor Policy that led arrest of Manish Sisodiya by CBI

New Delhi: Prime investigation agency of the country, CBI arrested Manish Sisodiya, Dy.CM of Delhi. Sisodiya has been accused of alleged corruption and irregularities in new liquor policy. CBI filed a case against Sisodiya last year in this matter. Here are the details about the whole episode.

Delhi government introduced Liquor Policy in 2021 to raise the income and to control liquor mafias and adulterated liquor. Under the policy, the Delhi government closed all its permit shop. Only private liquor shops were functioning in Delhi. New licenses were issued for such shops. The government also permitted them to sell liquor on discounted price.

In May,2022 Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar received a resolution for amendment in new liquor policy in Excise Department. During its analysis Naresh Kumar found a few procedural defects and irregularities in the policy. Later on 8th July he sent his report to Excise Minister Manish Sisodiya, Chief minister Arvind Kejariwal and L-G Vinaykumar Saxena. On reviewing the report, L-G recommended CBI enquiry and held Manish Sisodiya responsible for the corruption, that sparked exchange of counter allegations between AAP and BJP.

Subsequently, Sisodiya again implemented old liquor policy for a period of six months assuring reimplementing new liquor policy after removal of the contradictions in the policy.
Sisodiya is accused of providing benefit to the persons availing license for liquor shops. He also waived license fees of the liquor companies to the tune of Rs.144.36 crore under the pretext of Covid -19 pandemic.

It is also alleged that Manish Sisodiya neither convey his decision to the cabinet nor obtained permission of L – G. L-G has accused that it is possible only while Manish Sisodiya might have received bribe and commission. He is also accused for refund of Rs. 30 crore to license holders who obtained the license to sell liquor at the airport. The license holders could not avail NOC from the airport authority. It is claimed that Sisodiya should have seize the amount instead of giving the refund. Further, import duty of Rs. 50/- on each box containing Foreign Beer was also withdrawn, suffering huge monetary loss to the government exchequer.