CAG report says Kejriwal cheated of Rs 2,026 through liquor scam – Telangana Today

It claims the policy lacked transparency and was based on illegal decision-making in favor of certain privileged licensees

New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers allegedly defrauded over Rs 2,026 crore because the liquor excise policy lacked transparency and was based on illegal decision-making in favor of certain privileged licensees, says a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), excerpts of which are from on Saturday into the public domain.

The government auditor’s document that exposed the liquor scam is called “Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on the Audit of Performance on the Regulation and Supply of Alcohol in Delhi.”

Comptroller and Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu’s damning findings on the AAP government’s controversial liquor policy represent a major setback for the ruling AAP ahead of the February 5 Assembly elections, giving new ammunition to the opposition BJP and Congress party, which has dubbed the scam “Liquorgate”. “Responsibility and accountability for observed lapses should be established and the enforcement mechanism should be strengthened,” Murmu said in his final recommendation included in the report for the year ended March 31, 2022. The report was also signed by the Chief Accountant General (Audit). , Delhi, Aman Deep Chatha.

BJP’s Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, said, “The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has emerged as the most corrupt government in the country today.” “We need answers on who benefited from the loss of public money and which AAP leaders received bribes,” he said.

One of the key findings was the lack of laboratories to check the quality of alcohol supplied in Delhi, which exposed millions of the city’s residents to health risks.

The government auditor’s report tore into the AAP government’s policy making and implementation, citing several examples of irregularities such as – lack of transparency in pricing, violations in issuance and renewal of licenses, failure to penalize violators, failure to seek approval from the LG, Cabinet or Assembly. “The actual implementation was suboptimal and the objectives underlying the policy were not achieved. Stores could not be opened in non-compliant branches and equitable distribution of retail sales could not be ensured. There were serious shortcomings in the issuance and management of zonal licenses,” the report said.

The AAP ruling questioned the veracity of the “leaked” CAG report and rejected allegations of wrongdoing against Kejriwal and his ministers, including Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, who were arrested and later released on bail in money laundering and corruption cases related to excise policy.

The CAG report shows that the national exchequer has lost around Rs 890 crore as the AAP government has not issued re-tender for the surrendered liquor retail licenses.

The report said the government lost an additional Rs 941 crore due to waivers that had to be granted to zonal licensees.

The Group of Ministers, headed by Minister Manish Sisodia, allegedly did not act on the recommendation of the expert panel and even allowed disqualified entities to apply for licenses.

The findings of alleged malfeasance that have seen Kejriwal, Sisodia and many other government officials face money laundering and corruption cases are sure to raise the political temperature in Delhi, where AAP is trying to return to power for the fourth time.

Elections for 70 seats in the Assembly will be held on February 5, and the results will be announced on February 8. In the current House, AAP has 62 legislators and BJP has 8.