New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Minish Sisodia said today that he has written to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claiming that former lieutenant governor Anil Baijal had unexpectedly changed his stance on the opening of liquor shops in unauthorized areas.
“The cabinet’s policy was earlier cleared by former LG, but the decision was later revoked. This led to losses worth thousands of crores. Why was this decision taken? I hope CBI carries out a fair probe”, said the minister in a press conference today. The video of the press conference was also tweeted by him.
Delhi liquor policy has emerged as a flashpoint between Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Aam Admi Party (AAP). When AAP government was preparing for the liquor policy, Baijal was the Delhi Lieutenant governor and Sisodia insisted that it should be probed why Baijal changed his stand benefited some players and cause financial losses to the government.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended a probe into the government’s excise department by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing due to alleged irregularities in its new liquor policy.
The new excise policy was introduced in November last year as it made sweeping changes to the nature and functioning of the liquor trade in the capital/ the government exited the customer-end of the trade entirely, shutting all government-run liquor vends.