'They were filling pockets of liquor mafia with the money of poor': Shehzad Poonawalla hits out AAP

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Shahzad Poonawalla has hit out at Aam Aadmi Party over the Delhi Excise Policy ‘scam’.

Shahzad Poonawalla said, “The sale of liquor went up, but there was burglary into the government coffer. If it is a 750ml bottle (of liquor) which comes for Rs 550, then under Old (Liquor) Policy, liquor stores were receiving Rs 33 & Rs 330 was going to the government coffer.”

“Under the New Policy, liquor stores started receiving Rs 363 and Govt started receiving only Rs 8 – I call this Reverse Robinhood. They were filling the pockets of the liquor mafia with the money of the poor, that too in the COVID period,” added Shehzad Poonawalla.

Last week, several raids were conducted at 21 places in Delhi and National Capital Region including the residence of Manish Sisodia and the premises of four public servants, according to a CBI official. The official said that raids were conducted in locations across 7 states.

Sisodia had then tweeted: “We are honest, building a future for lakhs of children. Unfortunate that in this country, whoever does good work is hassled just like this, that is why our country is still not number-1.”
The probe into Sisodia was done after taking into account a report forwarded by the Chief Secretary to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommending a CBI investigation into the matter.

The LG office said that Sisodia also extended financial favours to liquor licensees much after the tenders had been awarded and thus caused considerable losses to the exchequer.

The excise policy was passed in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet in the middle of the deadly Delta Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The Delhi government’s version is that the policy was formulated to ensure the generation of optimum revenue, and eradicate the sale of spurious liquor or non-duty paid liquor in Delhi, besides improving user experience.

Following LG’s recommendation, the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Delhi Police’s Economic Offence Wing (EOW)issued a notice to Delhi’s Excise Commissioner asking him to provide all documents relating to the award of liquor licenses under the new excise policy.

With inputs from ANI

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