New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has suspended 11 officers of the department, including the then Excise Commissioner Aarav Gopi Krishna and former Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari. Everyone has been suspended for the lapse in implementing the excise policy.
The Union Home Ministry has taken this action on the recommendation of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. At the same time, three assistant commissioners, three section officers, and three dealing hand employees, who were posted then, have been suspended by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on the recommendation of the Lieutenant Governor. An investigation is also being started against all of them.
These include, inter alia, irregularities in the finalization of tenders and passing of post tender benefits to selected vendors. Vigilance (DOV) Department of Delhi Government has investigated this and said in its report.
On the other hand, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that he has sent information related to this case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
He said that under the new excise policy, 849 shops were to be opened all over Delhi including unauthorized areas. The then Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal did not oppose the proposal and approved it.
In fact, the current LG VK Saxena had recommended a CBI inquiry for possible irregularities in the liquor policy 2021-22.