CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday alleged there was a Rs 500 crore excise scam by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab and the party would appeal to the Punjab governor to take action. SAD would also file complaints with the CBI and ED to probe “kickbacks received by AAP from the liquor cartel”, he added.
“There should be a free and fair inquiry against all political leaders, including Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and MP Raghav Chadha as well as Punjab government officials who facilitated the scam,” said Sukhbir. AAP had followed the Delhi Model while framing the Punjab excise policy, and like Delhi nearly the entire liquor trade was handed over to two companies, he alleged. “The profit margin of the two companies was doubled from 5% to 10% to facilitate a quid pro quo. Hundreds of crores have been passed back to the AAP government in Punjab and the AAP high command in Delhi,” he claimed.
As now when an FIR has been registered in the Delhi excise scam, the same should be done in case of Punjab also, said Sukhbir. “The policy and policy makers are the same,” he added. The SAD president also demanded a probe into the alleged kickbacks received by AAP from the liquor cartel in Delhi which, he said, were later used to contest the Punjab assembly elections.
“While MP Chadha spearheaded meetings with members of the two groups in a suite on the fifth floor of Chandigarh hotel, two meetings were held at Sisodia’s residence on May 30 and June 6 which were attended by Punjab government officers, including the financial commissioner and excise commissioner,” claimed Sukhbir.
“There should be a free and fair inquiry against all political leaders, including Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and MP Raghav Chadha as well as Punjab government officials who facilitated the scam,” said Sukhbir. AAP had followed the Delhi Model while framing the Punjab excise policy, and like Delhi nearly the entire liquor trade was handed over to two companies, he alleged. “The profit margin of the two companies was doubled from 5% to 10% to facilitate a quid pro quo. Hundreds of crores have been passed back to the AAP government in Punjab and the AAP high command in Delhi,” he claimed.
As now when an FIR has been registered in the Delhi excise scam, the same should be done in case of Punjab also, said Sukhbir. “The policy and policy makers are the same,” he added. The SAD president also demanded a probe into the alleged kickbacks received by AAP from the liquor cartel in Delhi which, he said, were later used to contest the Punjab assembly elections.
“While MP Chadha spearheaded meetings with members of the two groups in a suite on the fifth floor of Chandigarh hotel, two meetings were held at Sisodia’s residence on May 30 and June 6 which were attended by Punjab government officers, including the financial commissioner and excise commissioner,” claimed Sukhbir.