As ED raids residences of Punjab excise officials, AAP’s silence hits hard

The developments come on a day, the ED raided 30 locations across the country, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Gurgaon, and days after searches were conducted by the CBI at the premises of Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia over the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. However, itcould not be ascertained in connection with which cases raids were conducted in Chandigarh and Panchkula on Tuesday.

ED sleuths conducted searches at IAS officer and Punjab Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam’s residence in Sector 20, Chandigarh and that of joint commissioner (excise) Naresh Dubey in Panchkula. Both Roojam and Dubey were said to have worked on framing Punjab’s excise policy, which was implemented from July. Roojam and Dubey could not be immediately contacted.

Meanwhile, even as there was no reaction from the ruling AAP in Punjab, panic gripped state government officials, who waited for the raids to get over to get information.

A senior official of the government said, “We do not know anything. Our officers are being raided and we do not know the context. Media is reporting that the raids are in connection with the Delhi’s policy. We will only know when the officials being raided would inform us.”

Punjab excise minister Harpal Cheema also feigned ignorance about the raids. He said he was not aware that any such raids were going on.

An official said that there was panic that there could be more officials who could be raided but at the same time many were feeling dejected. “It is shocking that there has been no political reaction. The officials being raided were the ones who formulated the policy. But this policy was prepared only after directions from political bosses.
They have not come up with the policy on their own but it seems that no one is backing them. There is no reaction at all.”

Another official said, “It appears that everyone left the duo to fend for themselves. This kind of reaction was not expected. Why would anyone work in such a scenario?”

Earlier, in July, Delhi Lt governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22. Following this, the AAP-led Delhi government withdrew the new liquor policy. Opposition parties in Punjab had also demanded a probe by the CBI and the ED, alleging a scam in the state’s excise policy.

The opposition leaders had alleged that the state’s excise policy was a “replica” of the policy in Delhi and was “tailor-made” to select a few contractors.