Punjab excise policy: Congress seeks CBI probe, says framed to benefit select contractors

Chandigarh: A delegation of the Congress on Thursday met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and sought a probe by the CBI into the state's excise policy, alleging that it was "tailor made" to select a few contractors.

The delegation was led by the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa.

The Congress leaders met the governor a day after the Shiromani Akali Dal delegation sought a CBI and ED probe into what it alleged a Rs 500 crore scam.

In the memorandum to the Governor, the Congress leaders said, "We want to seek your attention and intervention into the massive embezzlement and loss of huge revenue to Punjab on account of liquor policy brought in Punjab by the state government." They also sought investigation into the role of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, state Excise Minister Harpal Cheema and some senior officers in the Punjab government.

"This policy has been tailor made to suit a select few contractors who are close to the powers be. The Punjab liquor policy enacted by the government is the replica of the liquor policy in Delhi, where huge benefit along with monopoly was provided to a select few people," they alleged.

They said Punjab's excise policy is "as shady as Delhi's policy" as it has been designed and drafted by the same person, Manish Sisodia.

"Although the Delhi government withdrew it, in Punjab the policy still continues," said the memorandum.

"We earnestly request you to order a CBI probe into the Punjab excise policy as, like in Delhi, it will reveal so many wrongdoings and how much money was exchanged between those who made the policy and those who got benefited by it," the Congress leaders said.

In another memorandum, the Congress delegation sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the alleged illegal sand mining in the border districts of Punjab.

"The Border Security Force has submitted an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High Court where it has said that illegal sand mining was going on along the international border with Pakistan," they said.

"This, the BSF added, is a security threat to the country as the illegal mining causes huge ditches thus making it difficult to spot any moment of people," said the Congress leaders.

"With a perpetually hostile neighbour like Pakistan always ever ready to comment trouble by sending in infiltrators, arms and ammunition to create subversion here can use these deep ditches and gorges for its nefarious activity," they said.

They alleged that the Punjab government is clearly patronising illegal sand mining mafia even at the risk and cost of national security.