Chandigarh: Alleging that a Rs 500 crore scam is taking place in relation to the excise policy of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) Government in Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday demanded an investigation into the case by the CBI and the ED.
Speaking to the media, Badal alleged that the AAP government in Punjab followed the "Delhi model" while chalking out the excise policy adding that SAD will appeal to the Punjab Governor to initiate action over the issue.
" Now that FIR had been registered in the Delhi excise scam, the same should be done in case of Punjab also," said Badal. He further alleged that the "policy and the policymakers" are the same when it comes to the excise policy in Punjab adding that the modus operandi to loot the state exchequer is the same.
Badal claimed that similar to the AAP Government's policy in Delhi, nearly the entire liquor trade in Punjab was handed over to two companies. " The profit margin of the two companies was doubled to facilitate a quid pro quo," he added.
Pointing out further similarities between the excise policies of the Delhi and the Punjab governments, Badal said " it stipulated that each liquor manufacturing company would choose one licensee to sell its products in the state and that the L-1 (wholesale) licensee should not be a manufacturer in India or abroad."
"It also stated that L-1 licensees should have a turnover of at least Rs 30 crore per annum and should not have any stake in the retail market in Punjab. Such terms took the Punjab liquor traders out of the race," he added. The SAD chief said that only a thorough investigation by the CBI and the ED can reveal the truth.
