Akalis meet Punjab Governor, demand CBI, ED probe into excise policy ‘scam’

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

The SAD today urged the Governor to recommend a CBI and ED probe into the excise policy ‘scam’ of the AAP government in the state.

It asserted that the revamped excise policy of the state was akin to that of Delhi and the same modus operandi was used to give control of the liquor trade to henchmen in return for kickbacks running into hundreds of crores.

A high-level delegation of the SAD led by its chief Sukhbir Badal met Governor Banwarilal Purohit and handed over a memorandum, stating that CM Bhagwant Mann and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had violated the provisions of the Official Secrecy Act by makingfiles of the state available to Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and MP Raghav Chadha besides private persons.

The delegation said since the Punjab policy was a copy of the Delhi one, the role of Sisodia, Chadha and Cheema and other private persons should be probed. It further said the scam also fell within the purview of the Prevention of Corruption Act and a case should be registered.

Meanwhile, Sukhbir apprised the Governor that like in the case of Delhi, the same set of conditions were introduced to oust Punjab liquor traders from the race by introducing a clause that the L-1 licensee should not be a manufacturer anywhere in India and abroad.

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