Former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi, on Tuesday (Feb 25), said in response to the CAG report presented in the assembly that the audit document actually exposed corruption under the old liquor policy, which was in place from 2017-21.

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She alleged that the residents of Delhi suffered losses due to the illegal importation of liquor from neighbouring states Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

"The excise audit report was presented in the Delhi Assembly today. Its seven chapters are on the excise policy from 2017-21, and one chapter is on the new excise policy. The Delhi government had exposed the flaws and corruption of the old excise policy to the people of Delhi. Under that policy, liquor was brought illegally from Haryana and UP. We all know whose government is there in these states and who must be getting the profit," Atishi said, while addressing a press conference.

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She also highlighted that the new excise policy aimed to promote transparency and increase revenue.

"This report is repeating the same thing that we said that the people of Delhi are incurring losses due to the old policy. This policy makes it clear that the AAP government took the right decision by removing the old policy," she said.

"This report has confirmed our point. There was corruption in how much liquor was being sold. This report shows that more than 28 per cent of corruption was being done by the contractors, and the money was going into the pockets of the brokers," Attishi added.

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"It shows that black marketing of liquor was happening, and everyone knew which party people had the liquor contracts. The liquor contractors made profits by calculating the cost price in an incorrect manner," she said.

Also read: CAG report: Delhi govt suffered losses of Rs 2,000 crore due to liquor policy

BJP slams Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday (Feb 25) tabled the CAG report in the assembly. The report revealed that the Delhi government suffered cumulative losses of over Rs 2,000 crore (USD 242.42 million) due to the 2021-2022 excise policy. 

The Aap Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi had implemented the liquor policy on November 17, 2021. But it was scrapped at the end of September 2022 as corruption allegations were levelled against the party. AAP denied the accusations. 

The investigating agencies have said that the profit margins of wholesalers were increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent under the new policybrought by AAP. The agencies have also alleged that the new policy resulted in cartelisation, and those ineligible for liquor licences were favoured for monetary benefits.

Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva alleged that AAP looted the people of Delhi and scammed them.

"This CAG report exposes the black deeds of Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and AAP. It tells how AAP looted and scammed the people of Delhi...how they opened shops at residential and religious places," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)