Delhi government runs the liquor shops in the national capital. However, in June 2021, the Kejriwal government opened the curtain on the privatization of liquor shops. The entire Delhi is divided into 32 zones. Regulations have been made to have 27 shops selling liquor in each zone. Anil Baijal, who was the Delhi LG at that time, put two conditions while approving the new excise policy. Licenses can be given to private persons in place of existing liquor shops. But where there are no shops..
1. Delhi Development Authority,
2. Municipal Corporation of Delhi should take permission.
However, Kejriwal made the mandatory provision of permission to the crazy wall government. Govt violated M. R. Empowering the licensees to fix the prices irrespective of the price, allowing the shops to operate till 3 am and reducing the dry days from 21 days to 3 days.
A new liquor policy came into effect in Delhi in November 2021. However, there have been allegations of many irregularities in this. In license fee for tenderers for liquor shops. The Chief Secretary mentioned in his report that concessions have been given and license fees have been completely waived for some. The Kejriwal government has waived the fee of Rs 144 crore due to lack of liquor sales during the Covid time.
Moreover, the CS has stated in his report that a subsidy of 50 per case was given to the companies to enable foreign beer to enter freely. Based on this report, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI inquiry into the Delhi Liquor Policy scam.
The CBI named Manish Sisodia, who is the Excise Minister along with the Education Department of Delhi, as the main accused in this scam. Along with him, the then Excise Commissioner Ava Gopikrishna, Deputy Excise Commissioner AK Tiwari, Assistant Excise Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar and 9 other businessmen were included as accused in the FIR. The CBI registered charges under IPC Section 120-B, 477A and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Alleged quid pro quo in liquor policy. Excise officials and political leaders have received donations of crores of rupees, it said. The CBI revealed through evidence that crores of rupees were deposited into the accounts of Radha Industries belonging to Sisodia’s right-hand man Dinesh Arora. But Kejwal and Sisodia say all these are lies. All this is a BJP conspiracy and they are counterattacking.
What happened in this scam..
* On August 17, 2022, a case was registered against Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sodia.
*On September 21, 2022, the ED took up the investigation based on the CBI FIR.
*On September 27, 2022, ED arrested Vijaynayar in charge of communication in this case. This is the first arrest in this scam.
*Indo Spirits owner Sameer Mahendru arrested on September 28, 2022.
* On October 10, 2022 Abhishek Boinapalli, director of Robin Distilleries, was arrested.
* On November 11, 2022 P. Sarath Chandra Drareddy and Binoyi Babu arrested.
* Vijay Nair arrested on November 13, 2022.
* ED filed the first charge sheet on 26 November 2022. In Sameer Mahendru’s companies Rs. 291 which mentions illegal transactions.
* ED arrested Amit Arora on 29 November 2022.
*2022 November 30 Amit Arora mentions MLC Kavitha’s name in remand report
*CBI has given notice to Kavitha to attend the hearing on December 2, 2022.
*Kavitha wrote a letter to CBI on 3rd December 2022 asking for a copy of the FIR
* On December 11, 2022, CBI questioned Kavitha.
* Filed supplementary chargesheet with 13,657 pages on January 6, 2023. In this South Group Rs. 100 crores mentioned.
*17 names have been included in this supplementary charge sheet. It is estimated that due to this scam, the Delhi government’s treasurer has lost 2,873 crores.
*On February 2, 2023, the CBI special court considered the supplementary charge sheet. Rous Avenue Court has issued notices to the accused.
* CBI arrested Gorantla Buchibabu on February 8, 2023. On the same day Gautham Malhotra was arrested by ED.
* On April 25, 2023, the CBI included the name of former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in the supplementary chargesheet filed in the Delhi liquor case.
* On 30 October 2023, the Supreme Court rejected the bail petition of former Deputy CM Sisodia.
