‘Delhi spent over ₹21crore on lawyers’ fees in 2021-2022

In total, including the amount spent by the excise department, in 2021-22 and 2022-23 up to November 30, various departments spent ₹28 crore on lawyers.

From zero expenditure on lawyers in 2020-21, the Delhi government’s excise department spent ₹21.32 crore on fees to senior lawyers in 2021-22 and 2022-23 (up to November 30), mostly on account of the legal cases related to its controversial liquor policy, according to documents seen by HT.

Delhi chief minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. (ANI Photo/Amit Sharma)

The Delhi government’s now scrapped excise policy is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is also the minister in charge of excise, is one of the accused.

The excise department paid a senior lawyer ₹18.09 crore ( ₹4.12 crore in 2022-23, and ₹13.97 crore in 2021-22), and ₹2.4 crore ( ₹1.76 crore in 2021-22, and ₹68 lakh in 2022-23) to another lawyer, documents show. The excise department spent ₹5.23 crore on legal fees in 2022-23 and ₹16.09 crore in 2021-22.

In total, including the amount spent by the excise department, in 2021-22 and 2022-23 up to November 30, various departments spent ₹28 crore on lawyers.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma alleged the AAP-led Delhi government is wasting public money by paying lawyers to defend its excise policy and protect its leaders. “Why doesn’t the government use its lawyers to represent the matter in the court?” he said at a press conference.

The Aam Aadmi Party government did not respond to queries.

The Delhi government introduced a new excise policy in 2021-22 aimed at revitalizing the city’s flagging liquor business.

The new excise policy replaced a sales-volume based regime with a licence fee one for traders, and promised swankier stores. The policy also introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor, a first for Delhi.

The policy came into effect on November 17, 2021, and immediately triggered controversy with Delhi BJP leaders alleging the AAP government was trying to open liquor stores in every nook and corner of the Capital, including in unauthorised colonies, in violation of rules.

It led to multiple cases even before lieutenant governor VK Saxena recommended a probe by CBI on July 23, 2022, into the alleged irregularities. Saxena’s recommendation was based on a July 8 report by chief secretary Naresh Kumar in which he flagged alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of the liquor policy.

This ultimately resulted in the policy being scrapped prematurely and being replaced by the 2020-21 regime