‘Kejriwal Will Be In Jail By…’: BJP MLA’s Big Claim Amid Probe In Delhi Excise Policy Scam
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Om Prakash Sharma on Monday (March 27, 2023) claimed that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be in jail by the next Navratri in the Delhi excise policy. During a discussion in the Delhi Assembly, Sharma, the BJP MLA from Vishwas Nagar, alleged that the money trail of the liquor scam goes up to Kejriwal. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last month arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also held the Excise portfolio when the new excise policy was framed and implemented, in connection with the alleged scam.
“Chief Minister had predicted in the Delhi Assembly that Manish Sisodia is going to be arrested. The money trail of the liquor scam goes up to Kejriwal and he will also be in jail by the next Navratri,” Prakash said.
It is notable that the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn after Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Finance Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kailash Gahlot lashed out at BJP MLAs who claimed that the Delhi government suffered losses in excise revenue and asked the saffron party members to read the Budget.
During a discussion in the Delhi Assembly, BJP MLA Abhay Verma claimed that the city government’s 2023-24 Budget showed a loss of Rs 3,100 crore in excise revenue.
The allegation, however, was refuted by Gahlot, who also holds the Excise portfolio.
Replying to the claim made by Verma, the minister said, “Between November 17, 2021, and August 31, 2022, the new excise policy earned Rs 5,576 crore while the revenue earned during the old excise regime between August 17, 2020, and August 31, 2021, stood at Rs 4,890 crore.”
“Please study something. In the old policy, revenue was earned through excise duty while in the new policy, revenue was earned through licence fees. You cannot compare the two policies. It is like comparing apples with oranges,” he added.
When Verma raised objections during Gahlot’s address, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel directed the marshals to escort him out.
Gahlot also cited figures from different months to show that the now-scrapped policy was doing well.
“In December 2020, the excise revenue stood at Rs 508 crore while in 2021, it was Rs 850 crore for the same month. These people have nothing to do with the excise policy. They have only one motive — that is to stop one man — Arvind Kejriwal. They want to stop the AAP,” he alleged.
