AAP may use 'kickbacks' from Punjab excise policy in Lok Sabha polls: State BJP to EC

Chandigarh: A delegation of the Punjab BJP on Saturday met the state Chief Electoral Officer and pressed for an ED probe into the state excise policy, alleging "black money received by AAP through kickbacks" could be used during the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP's fresh attack on the issue came after the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Delhi excise policy-linked money-laundering case on Thursday.

However, the ruling AAP in Punjab hit back, accusing the BJP of "peddling lies" to mislead people as it will get a "zero" in Punjab in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP delegation, led by Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and comprising Union minister Som Parkash, former Union minister Vijay Sampla and others, handed over a memorandum to Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C, seeking a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the state excise policy.

Jakhar told reporters here that Punjab's excise policy was framed along the lines of the tainted Delhi excise policy.

He alleged that state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema along with two senior officials had even attended a meeting with the then Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is in judicial custody in the Delhi excise case, for framing the state excise policy in May 2022.

"We have demanded a probe by the ED into Punjab's excise policy," said Jakhar.

"In Punjab, where Bhagwant Mann-led government acted at the behest of its Delhi masters, now behind bars, to allow official plunder of Punjab's resources, and there is an apprehension that Punjab has lost at least Rs 1,000 crore in revenue due to this favouritism and illegality perpetrated through Punjab excise policy," he alleged in the memorandum.

"It is also a genuine apprehension that black money so received by AAP through kickbacks will be put to use to influence voters during ensuing Lok Sabha Elections," Jakhar said in the memorandum

"The fact that one such company whose proprietor is behind bars already for receiving illegal benefits under the Delhi Excise Policy was handpicked and awarded 40 per cent share in Punjab Liquor trade after the inception of AAP government in the state might just be the tip of the iceberg as far as blatant connivance of Bhagwant Mann-led government in appropriating the liquor trade in Punjab is concerned," Jakhar alleged.

He alleged that officers of the Punjab excise department had been "coerced to sign on the dotted line by state AAP leadership at the behest of their Delhi masters".

"I would urge the Commission to also direct the ED to safeguard those officers and bring out the truth to ensure justice to the people of Punjab," said the Punjab BJP chief.

The BJP also targeted the AAP government over the spurious liquor tragedy in Punjab's Sangrur district where the death toll climbed to 20.

The Election Commission of India on Saturday sought an immediate report from the Punjab chief secretary and the director general of police on the hooch tragedy.

In a statement, the Aam Aadmi Party refuted allegations of corruption in the Punjab excise policy.

"The BJP is looking at a big zero in Punjab during Lok Sabha elections. So an unnerved BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar is making up lies to mislead people but he won't succeed," said the party.

"BJP people are daydreaming about winning any Lok Sabha seat in Punjab. The people of Punjab have not forgotten the atrocities that the central BJP government and Haryana BJP government committed against our farmers," the party said.