Fact Check: Is Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira's claim of Excise officers refusing to be part of the Punjab Excise Policy true?

Apart from Sukhpal Khaira, BJP leader Maninder Sirsa was also quoted saying that the Punjab government is looking at amending the excise policy as it has come under the scanner of central agencies.

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Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Tuesday lambasted Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and claimed that officers are refusing to become part of the state's new excise policy. Not only this, Khaira went on to say Punjab's Excise Policy is 'corrupt' adding that it will soon be exposed like the CBI has exposed the Delhi Liquor Policy scam. Notably, Khaira took to his Twitter handle on Tuesday and made the claims saying that 'he has learned about this'. Khaira did not reveal where he learned about this about his massive claims. Now, the question arises whether Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira's claims are actually true or not. Apart from Sukhpal Khaira, BJP leader Maninder Sirsa was also quoted by multiple news organisation saying that the Punjab government is looking at amending the excise policy as it has come under scanner of central agencies. To verify Sukhpal Khaira and other opposition leaders' claims, True Scoop contacted a senior officer in the known developments and asked if there is any iota of truth in the aforementioned claims.

Before knowing what is truth, Sukhpal Khaira wrote, "I have just learnt that fake revolutionaries led by @BhagwantMann are withdrawing their excise policy or altering it completely as officers are refusing to become part of their corrupt deeds which will ultimately be exposed as Cbi has done in Delhi.Yet another failure of “Badlav”"

Explained: What is Delhi Liquor Policy Scam and what is its Punjab link?

Now, coming to whether Sukhpal Khaira's claims are actually true or not, a senior officer in the known developments explained that no excise officers are going on any holiday or taking leave over CBI's extending investigation into Delhi's Liquor Policy Scam. However, the officer outlined that the officers' morale are down and many have become 'inactive' as the Government of Punjab has left the them 'high and dry' over CBI's probe in the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam. Notably, ED and the CBI have been raiding many locations in Punjab in the Delhi Liquor Policy scam. Last month, the ED sleuths conducted searches at IAS officer and Punjab Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam's residence in Sector 20 in Chandigarh and that of joint commissioner (excise) Naresh Dubey in Haryana's Panchkula. Both Roojam and Dubey were said to have worked on framing Punjab's excise policy which was implemented from July.

Delhi Liquor Policy 2021-22 Punjab's connection

True Scoop had discussed in its Special report of September 17 had discussed how the investigation of the alleged Delhi Liquor Policy Scam is being connected with Punjab. ED and the CBI have been raiding many locations in Punjab in the Delhi Liquor Policy scam. For those wondering why so, the answer lies in Naresh Kumar's report. In his report submitted to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor VK Saxena, it alleged that Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia of provided undue benefits to those holding liquor licenses. The report further alleged the benefits were extended in return for the money that was used by the AAP in the Punjab Assembly polls (in which Aam Aadmi Party won). Furthermore, two companies named Brindco and Anant Wines and spirits have been named in the Delhi Excise Policy scam case. Both companies have been allotted wholesale liquor licenses for Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Bottled-in Origin (BIO) in Punjab. The allotment of licenses to these two private entities have enabled them to capture almost 70 percent of the market of IMFL and BIO business.

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