Delhi LG suspends 11 excise officials; Sisodia seeks CBI probe into ex-L-G's stance on liquor policy

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena suspended and initiated disciplinary proceedings against 11 officials, including former Delhi excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna and deputy excise commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari, over "serious lapses" in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22, as per sources.

Three ad-hoc DANICS officers and six officials of the Delhi government's excise department are also among those suspended, the sources at the LG office said.

The LG has taken the decision over "irregularities in finalising the tender and extending post-tender benefits" to select vendors," on the part of the officers.

The action was taken by Saxena on the basis of an inquiry report filed by the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV).

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A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry has already been recommended by the LG into the alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.

Under the policy, implemented on November 17, 2021, private firms were issued retail licences for 849 liquor vends across the city divided into 32 zones.

The policy was withdrawn by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on July 30, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said he has written to the CBI requesting a probe into what he said was a sudden change in former lieutenant governor Anil Baijal’s decision to open shops in unauthorised colonies.

The change in the L-G’s decision on shops in unauthorised colonies caused “thousands of crores of losses” to the Delhi government, said Sisodia.

With PTI inputs