New Delhi: A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the now-scrapped excise policy by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi pointed out several “lapses" in the policy. The CAG report claimed that Rs 2,026 crore loss was incurred to the exchequer. The report was released days ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025. The report alleged that AAP leaders got "kickbacks". Notably, it is a draft CAG report as it is yet to be tabled in the Delhi Assembly.

The CAG report also claimed that licence norms were flouted. Notably, the then deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was heading the excise department when the policy liquor excise policy was introduced in Delhi. The report highlighted that Sisodia ignored recommendations by the expert panel over the policy.

It also pointed out that arbitrary decisions were taken without any approval from the Lieutenant Governor.

Highlights of the Report:

- The 2021 liquor policy caused a whooping loss of Rs over 2,000 crore.

- The entities bidding for the license were not financially strong, yet they were allowed to bid.

- The approval from the then Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and the cabinet was not taken.

- Deviation from the objectives of the policy.

- There is a lack of transparency.

- Violation in the issuance of licences.

As per the report,

The AAP questioned the existence of the CAG report on the Delhi liquor policy scam case.