Inquiry report claims excise officials made 'arbitrary' decisions

New Delhi: Delhi's excise department officials made changes in provisions of excise policy 2021-22 and executed it without the consent of the council of ministers, causing "windfall gains" to licensees and losses to the Delhi government, sources said

on Sunday.

The inquiry report of the Vigilance Directorate of the Delhi government, based on which L-G VK Saxena has approved suspension and major disciplinary action against 11 excise officials, listed various "arbitrary and unilateral" decisions allegedly taken by the department officials and approved by Deputy Chief Minister Manish

Sisodia.

No immediate reaction was available from Delhi government's excise department or Sisodia over the findings of the report.

The findings of the inquiry report on the levy of import pass fee and profit margin in case of foreign liquor, reduction in the number of dry days and illegal extension of Excise Policy show what caused the loss of revenue to the government, sources said.

Sisodia, who had earlier projected that the excuse policy will earn a revenue of Rs 9500 crore, accused former LG Anil Baijal on Saturday of modifying liquor policy overnight due to which liquor stores could not open in non-confirming areas, causing a loss of "thousands of crores of rupees" to the Delhi government.

The decision led to a reduction in the input cost of beer and foreign liquor to the retail licensees.