Liquor row: Delhi Police’s EOW collects recordings of meetings by Sisodia’s excise dept

This comes after the EOW received a complaint alleging illegal distribution of zonal liquor licences to manufacturing companies and blacklisted firms in violation of terms and conditions of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

Days earlier, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar had raised questions about alleged procedural lapses and irregularities in the excise policy and sought a reply from the department. The issue has also become a flashpoint between L-G VK Saxena and the Delhi government. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia is in charge of the excise department.

Sources said police received a complaint from a senior officer and contacted the excise department seeking details on its meetings. “We are looking into the matter. Notices have been sent to people violating orders. No arrests have been made so far,” said a police source.

JCP (EOW) Chhaya Sharma refused to comment on the case. The excise department did not respond despite repeated calls and messages seeking a comment. The CS did not respond to calls seeking a comment either.

The EOW has issued a notice to the department to provide answers and documents to a set of questions, sources said. Sources said the department submitted its reply on July 12 to the CS on questions raised by him about the policy,  changes made without allegedly informing the competent authority etc. Two days later, excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna was transferred.

Recently, the L-G office had said it had received complaints from a group of lawyers alleging cartelisation in liquor trade and involvement of blacklisted firms in retail. The L-G had directed the CS to look into the complaints.

The EOW also asked all stakeholders, 32 zonal vends and wholesale vends for documents related to award of licences (wholesale/retailer licence) and shareholders details, said sources. It has sought similar details from the excise department.

“Every company in India is registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs; all their information is available with it. EOW will match TIN/DIN numbers provided by the government and vends and will check details about the directors of the company in whose name it is registered to see if both are providing correct details or not,” said a source.

Sources said EOW had conducted an enquiry into the new liquor policy earlier and a notice was issued to the excise department in May after complaints of alleged cartelisation and monopolies. “In a reply dated June 21, supplied by excise department to EOW, it has been stated that SOP to rule out monopolies and cartels by successful companies was as per tender document dated 28.06.21 & 13.08.21. Please mention specifically relevant clause of these documents and who was responsible to implement said SOP,” said the EOW in a notice to the department on July 13.