CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday uncovered a Rs 200-crore liquor rip-off within the Excise Department in Punjab and demanded a CBI probe into the fraud and arrest of all responsible on the identical sample as adopted in Delhi. Exposing the fraud right here, senior SAD chief Bikram Singh Majithja additionally accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema of mendacity whereas claiming a 41 per cent enhance within the Excise income whereas asserting that the rise was solely 10.26 per cent.
Giving particulars, Majithia launched paperwork to the media authorized by the Cabinet, together with the report of a bunch of ministers, to reveal the Rs 200-crore rip-off. He launched a doc from the Excise Commissioner who fashioned a committee to analyse gaps and lacunae within the present excise coverage. He mentioned the be aware additionally acknowledged that the switch of rebate profit from producer to retailer through L-1 was not given to the retailer and that L-1 holders have been misusing their monopolistic place to dictate phrases to retailers.
Exposed Rs 200 cr rip-off in excise dept & demanded CBI probe into fraud & arrest of all responsible. Showed cupboard paperwork to show switch of rebate profit to retailer through L-1 was not given & that L-1 holders misused monopolistic place to dictate phrases to retailers. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/NzfkMScXIX
— Bikram Singh Majithia (@bsmajithia) April 7, 2023
Asserting that the committee report in addition to that of the Group of Ministers was a cover-up train, Majithia mentioned “after collecting Rs 28 crore from L-1 holders last year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has increased projected deposits Rs 150 crore for this year. This has happened due to the crackdown in Delhi which has led to the arrest of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who is also the architect of the Punjab excise policy”.
“Now suddenly, the AAP government had realised in its own words that there should be a rationale while deciding the margin of L-1 holders backed by sound economic principles.” Asserting that each one this was being completed to evade instances and arrests, Majithia mentioned the AAP authorities and its officers couldn’t escape duty for the loot of the state exchequer final yr.
He mentioned the loot was a minimum of round Rs 200 crore and must be completely investigated. He additionally disclosed how two of the principle liquor contractors in Punjab — Aman Dhall and Tushar Chopra — have been already underneath investigation for excise theft in Delhi with Dhall even being behind bars. Holding the Chief Minister straight chargeable for this state of affairs, Majithia mentioned the CM had adopted the dictate of the AAP excessive command and decreased the variety of L-1 licensees from 74 to seven.
He mentioned this not solely created a monopoly however the enhance in revenue from 5 per cent to 10 per cent had resulted in large income for L-1 holders who in flip didn’t give something in return to the state. “It is obvious that kickbacks were paid to AAP functionaries to the detriment of the state,” he alleged.
