STATEMENT OF SHRI AJAY MAKEN ON DELHI LIQUOR SCAM

4 February, 2023

➢ ED chargesheet/reports, which have surfaced publicly, clearly indict Delhi Chief Minister Sh. Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor scam. At least a 100-crore kickback has been established.

➢ A PMLA court took cognisance of the chargesheet on Thursday and has allowed charges to be framed against all the accused.
➢ The Indian National Congress demands the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Sh. Arvind Kejriwal, along with the indicted Ministers Sh. Manish Sisodia and Sh. Satyendar Jain.
➢ Money trail also has been mentioned in the chargesheet, leading to advertisements in Goa elections and cash payments to volunteers to carry out surveys.
➢ DANICS officer has claimed that the GOM report for a 12% margin for the wholesalers of liquor trade was handed over to him at the CM residence, where Manish Sisodia and Sateyandar Jain were also present. It is alleged that this report was handed over to him without any discussions.
➢ From this 12% margin to the wholesalers, that 6% is alleged to be paid back as a kickback.
➢ Expert Committee was formed on 4th September by Kejriwal Govt to suggest changes in liquor policy. This committee submitted its report on 13th Oct 2020.

➢ Two major recommendations were:
o Wholesale Regime
“1.1.1 IMFL trade should be revamped by bringing entire wholesale operations under one government entity. The model to be followed should be similar to the one as followed in the state of Karnataka..”
o Retail Regime
1.3.1 The focus should be on preventing any monopolistic tendencies in the liquor trade, and therefore, not only there should be a regular rotation of licensees, but also the licenses should be granted to only eligible individuals who fulfil a certain criteria so that there is little scope for proxy ownership/control that is gained through of companies and firms with dummy directors/partners.
..However, in no case, an individual who meets the application criteria can have a license of more than two vends.
➢ Concessions by the Kejriwal government to liquor traders have further caused huge loss to the exchequer.
o Rs 144.36cr waived off from liquor license fees on account of COVID-19
o Rs 30cr EMD for Airport L-1 returned;
o Margin of profits increased from 5 to 12%;
o 10% enhancement from the licensee not charged;
o 1st quarter (2022-23), before the new liquor policy was called off, a revenue shortfall of Rs 1870cr was observed, whereas whisky sales were up by 59.6% and wine by 87.25%.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF MISSING LOKPAL
‘Delhi asks Kejriwal..
Where is Lokpal?
➢ Every day we see Kejriwal vs LG. In the special sessions of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, in the courts, on the streets, and on trivial issues. But have we ever seen Kejriwal or AAP protesting for Lokpal?
➢ In 2014, Kejriwal asked for the dissolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly in favour of passing the Lokpal Bill. Where is that Bill now?
➢ The Kejriwal Government has ensured that even a weak Lokayukta is non-functional in Delhi. The following are essential points to be noted: –
a) Despite being approved by the LG, annual reports of the Lokayukta have not been tabled in the Legislative Assembly since 2017-18.
b) Despite being approved by the LG, the Lokayukta faces huge constraints of manpower and functionaries. As important as the post of Director of Investigation is not filled in the office of Lokayukta.
c) Ever since Kejriwal came to power, the Lokayaukta, in its reports, has been flagging various debilitating constraints being faced by the Lokayukta in terms of its ‘independence’, ‘lack of powers’, ‘compromised financial autonomy’, ‘non-availability of any machinery for conducting investigations’. But all in vain.