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BJP demands CBI probe into Punjab’s liquor policy

After the arrest of Manish Sisodia, deputy chief minister of Delhi for alleged corruption in Delhi’s excise policy, the Bharatiya Janata Party has targeted the Aam Aadmi Party.

Published on: Feb 28, 2023, 22:58:03 IST
By , LUDHIANA/CHANDIGARH
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After the arrest of Manish Sisodia, deputy chief minister of Delhi for alleged corruption in Delhi’s excise policy, the Bharatiya Janata Party has targeted the Aam Aadmi Party. In Ludhiana, the BJP called for a Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) probe into the liquor policy in Punjab as well.

BJP has demanded a CBI investigation into the liquor policy of Punjab, citing allegations of significant corruption similar to that in Delhi’s Excise Policy. (HT Photo)
BJP has demanded a CBI investigation into the liquor policy of Punjab, citing allegations of significant corruption similar to that in Delhi’s Excise Policy. (HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference chief spokesperson of BJP Punjab, Anil Sarin said, “Amid allegations of corruption in Delhi’s excise policy and the arrest of Manish Sisodia, it has been pointed out that a similar liquor policy has been implemented in Punjab as well. According to reports, the commission for liquor sales was increased from 5% to 10% in Punjab.”

Sarin demanded a CBI investigation into the liquor policy of Punjab, citing allegations of significant corruption similar to that in Delhi’s Excise Policy.

According to Sareen, there are ongoing investigations by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) against several officials and leaders of the AAP. He also mentioned that the new excise policy in Delhi, which was implemented in 2021 with the promise of increasing revenue, has resulted in the opposite effect. Therefore, he demanded that the Punjab liquor policy should also be investigated by CBI, similar to Delhi, due to the alleged corruption involved.

‘Corrupt’ Punjab ministers to meet same fate as Sisodia: Majithia

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday said that time was running out for corrupt Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers and officers supporting them and that they would meet the same fate as Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and party leader Satyendra Jain. Reacting to the resignation of Sisodia and Jain, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said “the scams the AAP leadership has perpetuated in Punjab on the command of its convener Arvind Kejriwal are even bigger than what they are being hauled up for in Delhi”. He said the arrest of Sisodia and Jain had opened the way for prosecution of corrupt ministers and officers who had acted in the same manner in Punjab.

Bajwa seeks ED probe in state’s liquor policy

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday sought a thorough probe by the enforcement directorate (ED) into the state’s liquor policy.

Claiming that the AAP, after forming the government in Punjab, had implemented a similar excise policy in the state, Bajwa alleged that the state’s liquor policy also becomes suspicious as it gave undue favours to very few liquor companies and traders. The ED conducted search operations at the residences of some officers of the excise department who framed the excise policy of the state and the Mann government had gone into a completely silent mode after that, he said. “After the arrest of the Delhi deputy CM by the CBI, the ED must carry on their probe in Punjab’s liquor policy to bring it to a logical end,” Bajwa said.