BJP attacks AAP over excise policy
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday hit out at Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia for allegedly leaking the scrapped 2021-22 excise policy to his “friends”, months before it was made public, and for allegedly destroying digital evidence to hide the scam.
Delhi government officials did not respond to requests for comments on Patra’s charges.
“The policy was made public on July 5, 2021, but a copy of it was leaked to Sisodia’s friends, manufacturers, and the cartel on May 31, 2021, so that they can be prepared…the excise department uploaded licences of 3,400 companies between 10pm and 7am, which are not official working hours, on Sisodia’s direction,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said at a press conference.
The allegations come a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Aurobindo Pharma’s promoter P Sarath Chandra Reddy and wine and spirits company Pernod Ricard’s executive Benoy Babu in its probe into the policy. The agency claimed the policy was leaked to certain manufacturers 45 days before it was made public.
Patra cited the remand letter and said Sisodia and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal gave undue favours to their friends. “Two businessmen have been arrested and from these two they have taken ₹100 crore advance payment. Just imagine the scale of the scam.”
He also attacked AAP over its 10 promises ahead of the municipal polls. “Those who have warrants issued against them cannot give guarantees. They promised they would not join politics, not take government vehicles and accommodation, stop corruption, but they did just the opposite…”