Delhi LG Approves Suspension of 11 officials including the Excise Commissioner

New Delhi, 06 August 2022: Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena approved the suspension of nine officials on Saturday in response to allegations of corruption in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

The LG has initiated major disciplinary proceedings against Arava Gopi Krishna, Arava Gopi Krishna, former commissioner of the Excise department, and Anand Kumar Tiwari, a DANICS officer.

Krishna, an AGMUT cadre IAS from the 2012 batch, was relieved from the Delhi government on July 12, 2022, and is now posted in Diu and Tiwari is a DANICS officer from the 2003 batch who works as a deputy commissioner in the excise department.

The decision was made following an investigation conducted by the Delhi Government’s Directorate of Vigilance, which discovered “irregularities in finalizing the tender” and “extending post-tender benefits to select vendors.”

Following a report by chief secretary Naresh Kumar alleging “deliberate and gross procedural lapses” to provide “undue benefits” to liquor licensees, the LG recommended a CBI probe into the formulation and implementation of Delhi Excise Policy last month.

The LG also directed the chief secretary to investigate the “role played by officers and civil servants” in its implementation. He has also suspended and initiated major disciplinary proceedings against three more Adhoc DANICS officers and four other excise department officials.

While the ministry of home affairs has the authority to suspend IAS and DANICS officers, the chief secretary can take action against Ad-hoc DANICS and other excise department officials.