BJP, Congress slam AAP over alleged ₹2,026 cr liquor scam cited in leaked CAG report

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of causing a ₹2,026 crore loss to the Delhi exchequer through alleged irregularities in its excise policy. The allegations are based on a purported Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, which BJP claims highlights deliberate lapses in policy implementation.

The report, though not officially released, reportedly states that ₹890 crore was lost due to the failure to re-tender surrendered retail liquor licenses. It also claims that exemptions granted to zonal licensees resulted in an additional loss of ₹941 crore. The document alleges that key administrative approvals, including those from the Lieutenant Governor, the Cabinet, and the Assembly, were bypassed during the policy’s formulation and rollout.

According to the purported findings, a Group of Ministers (GoM) led by then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia ignored expert recommendations while drafting the policy. The report alleges that the policy was designed to benefit private entities at the expense of public revenue, with major stakeholders being granted undue advantages.

BJP President J.P. Nadda, addressing the issue, said, “The CAG report on ‘Liquorgate’ exposes Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP government. ₹2,026 crore in exchequer money lost.” He accused the AAP government of “misgovernance and financial mismanagement” and called the excise policy a “model of loot.”

The Aam Aadmi Party has strongly denied the allegations, questioning the existence and authenticity of the report. AAP MP Sanjay Singh stated, “Where is the CAG report? The BJP itself says no CAG report has been tabled. These are baseless claims.” He accused the BJP of using these claims to divert attention ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.

The Congress has also criticized the AAP government, alleging financial mismanagement in the policy. Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit claimed the excise policy drained ₹2,000 crore from public funds in six months and warned that extended implementation could have resulted in losses exceeding ₹10,000 crore. Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav criticized the delay in tabling the report officially, questioning whether it was an attempt to suppress crucial findings.

The Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 5, have brought the alleged excise policy irregularities into focus. While the CAG report remains unreleased, the claims have intensified political rivalry, with all major parties raising questions about governance and financial accountability.