Anil BaijalDelhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has expressed displeasure over the allegations leveled against former L G Anil Baijal by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. He has asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to restrain his colleagues as the head of the Delhi government.

Sisodia had fiercely attacked Anil Baijal on the new excise policy of the Delhi government. On Tuesday, the incumbent LG took exception to his indiscretion. He said that the allegations leveled by the deputy CM against his predecessor are “absolutely baseless”.

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It may be noted here that the excise department is under the charge of Manish Sisodia. A few days ago, Sisodia had alleged that the former LG, Anil Baijal, took a U-turn on benefiting some liquor shop owners. He said Baijal changed the policy within 48 hours of its adoption. Due to his decision, the government lost thousands of crores to some shopkeepers.

Responding to the allegations, Anil Baijal has said that Sisodia has made the “baseless allegations” against him to save his skin.

Meanwhile, the incumbent LG, V K Saxena advised Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to ensure that the government and his colleagues in the party do not behave in such an irresponsible manner and avoid such statements.

The LG, recently, recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the Excise Policy 2021-22. He also cleared a proposal to suspend many excise officers.

The Delhi government has already withdrawn the excise policy.

Arvind Kejriwal had assured an investigation into the irregularities in the allotment process of zonal licenses issued for retail sale of liquor. In this regard, the LG had given orders to the Chief Secretary asking him to report the irregularities in the entire allotment process.

It has been complained that the Excise Department had issued licenses to blacklisted liquor dealers. There is a rule in the new policy that a company will get a maximum of two zonal licenses. But ignoring the rule, a company and its related companies were issued licenses by the Excise Department for retail sale of liquor in three zones.