The FIR has been lodged under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 477-A (falsification of accounts) of the Indian Penal Code.
The allegations against Sisodia is that liquor businessmen were allegedly given exemption of Rs 30 crore, adn the licence holders were allegedly given extension as per their own will.
The policy rules were made by violating the excise rules, the FIR said.
The CBI on Friday 21 places in seven states across the country in connection with the case, including the Delhi residence of Sisodia.
According to an RTI report, many liquor shops are blatantly violating the norms set by the Excise department.
In a glaring instance, the Dosinga Foreign Liquor Off shop in the district is reportedly owned by Sarat Nag Raul and has been set up on plot number-239. However, as per the RTI report, the type of the plot is ‘Jalasaya’ (Waterbody).
The excise policy clearly mentions that licenses cannot be granted to open a liquor shop on ‘Jalasaya kisama’ land. But, the setting up of the FL-off shop on the restricted area has raised eyebrows of many.
Moreover, several liquor shops are located few meters away from the schools. Though the locals have been long demanding the closure or shifting of these liquor shops, all their cries have fallen on deaf ears.
“Students are facing many problems as a couple of liquor shops are operating near the schools. The girl students in particular are misbehaved and even lewd comments are passed on to them,” NK Debasharma, a local alleged.
Similarly, the doubtful operation of a liquor shop in Dolasahi area in Tihidi block has raised questions in the locality. As per the records, plot- 2505/2919 which has been allotted for the shop is of ‘Ghara Bari’ (Homestead) type but the land has no record on the ‘Khatian’ (Record).
“We have been demanding to shift two liquors shops which are located close to Dosinga and Koithkola schools. The opening of liquor shops near the schools is a gross violation of excise policy,” alleged RTI activist Himansu Nayak.
With several irregularities coming to fore, denizens have raised serious question on how Excise department granted licenses without verifying necessary documents.
When asked the Excise Superintendent of Bhadrak, Pradipta Das said, "The licenses were granted during the former superintendent’s tenure."
“We provide license after all required documents verified thoroughly by designated officials. I will inquire into the allegations and take necessary action,” said Das.
As per the excise department, there will be no increase in number of Foreign Liquor-OFF & Country Liquor shops except the Model Premium Foreign Liquor OFF shop recommended at Airports.
However in order to protect government revenue and to not allow any area go dry for long, shops which were sanctioned in the past but not operational as on April 1, 2018 due to any reasons whatsoever, would be settled afresh through lottery.
The department stated that 'ON' license shall not be granted in shopping complexes, malls and in rural areas. However, new 'ON' license may be issued in rural areas only for private hotels having lodging facility for at least 6 rooms or those lodges run by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), defense establishments and other similar establishments.
This apart, new 'ON' license may also be granted to star hotels which are parts of shopping malls. The beer parlours would be allowed to sell beer as well as RTDs, sources said.
Meanwhile, the policy further stated that no shop in Scheduled Area shall be renewed if the Gram Sabha has any objection and license will not be granted for any new Bhang shop.
It will be mandatory for an 'OFF' shop to display the following things prominently: I. Rate list.
III. Age group which is not allowed to buy.
Moreover, no license shall be granted to a liquor shop having the name of deities / eminent personalities (living on dead) which can hurt the sentiments of the people. The policy warned that liquor shops will not be allowed to use the word 'Sarkari' or ‘government’ in the nameplate. Instead, the license holder may use 'Licensed FL OFF shop' signage.
The excise policy clearly mentioned that Maximum Retail Price (MRP) will be displayed on each bottle of FMFL, IMFL, Wine, Beer and Country Liquor and sold accordingly.
Apart from this, the vendors are required to issue cash memo on demand to all consumers and not charge above MRP, failing which the vendors shall be penalized.
There has been an increase of Rs 5 to Rs 10 per bottle of beer sourced from other states, but the prices of beer produced in Odisha remains unchanged. Similarly, there has been an increase of Rs 5 to Rs 10 in price of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and Rs 15 in price of liquor imported from outside the country. However, the prices will differ as per brand and company of the liquor.
Talking to OTV Managing Director of OSBC, Dwijraj Kar, said, "As the government has hiked import duty on the liquor bottles coming from outside the state, the impact has been seen on their price and MRP. As duty on IMFL has been increased by the government, the MRP has gone up."
The State Government has set a target to collect Rs 3,600 crore revenue from liquor sales in the current fiscal year. The target for last fiscal year was Rs 3,300 crore, but only Rs 2,786 crore was collected.
Joint Secretary of Odisha Liquor Sellers Association, Prabhat Kishore Das said, "Liquor consumption might decline due to price rise. Moreover, higher revenue generation is also the target. The price may be hiked further as the State Government revises it twice a year."
It may be mentioned that in a bid to escape the ban on liquor shops along State Highways, as ordered by the Supreme Court, the State Government denotified the State Highways passing through cities and towns as 'Urban Roads.'
In a major decision, the government has stated that draught beer will be sold to divert young generation from strong alcohol. The draught beer will be sold in six cities, including Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Berhampur.
The new policy has provisions to discourage unauthorised sale of liquor and pouch liquor business in the State.
For the first time, model premium liquor shops will be opened at airport, shopping malls and three-star hotels.
Besides, hotels and clubs will be given permission to open additional bars. This apart, the import fees on beer as well as Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) have been increased to encourage local production and employment.
The Excise Department further made it mandatory for the liquor outlets to give cash memo to the customers during purchase of liquor. Besides, the outlets will have to display up-to-date rate charts of maximum retail prices of various liquors at their counters.
Officials said the Odisha government’s excise policy for 2016-17 will seek to attract investors in the liquor manufacturing sector with an aim to export the product from the State. Besides, it also envisages attracting investments for setting up of new brewery, distillery and micro-brewery in the State.
“From this year, we have hiked license fee by 20%. Besides, to encourage investment in the State, we have slashed deposit fee for new units from Rs 80 lakh to Rs 20 lakh,” Excise minister Damodar Rout said.
“Our revenue collection target for the year is Rs 2800 crore,” the minister stated. Official figures show the State government had collected Rs 2557 crores in revenue in 2015-16.
To ensure that the volume of beer sale increases in the State, its price has been reduced by amounts varying from Rs 10 to Rs 20. The sale of beer in the State had dipped by over 40% during April 2015-January 2016 as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year due to the opposition of the beer supplier to the provisions of the Excise Policy 2015-16.
On the contrary, the price tag for Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) products has been revised upwards for amounts ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 40, sources added.
In the new policy, relief has been given to IMFL off-shops and country spirit (CS) shops by lowering the MGQ (minimum guarantee quota) for 2016-17. This would minimise the shortfall of off-take from Odisha State Beverages Corporation (OSBC) depots, said the sources
It is pertinent to note that the excise department had earlier shot letters to Collectors of all districts to grant temporary licence to allow sale of intoxicants in various fairs, private and public events and other regimental camps. This apart, the department had asked the officials of excise stations to come up with proposals for opening of new IMFL off-shops.
Condemning this, the anti-liquor campaign led by the Nisa Nibaran outfit today gheraoed the residence of the Minister and staged a peaceful demonstration as a mark of protest against the State government's decision to promote alcohol business by opening more liquor outlets in Odisha.
However, the outfit later called off agitation and decided to defer the strike till November 22 following a discussion with the Minister.
"The Minister has assured that the orders to grant licence and opening of new liquor outlets would be revoked by November 23. We have given an ultimatum to the government on this. Protests will intensify if the government does not reconsider its decision," said a member of the outfit.
Excise Minister Niranjan Pujari said, "The discussion was fruitful. The outfit has been demanding to cancel the orders allowing sale and consumption of liquor in marriage functions and other socio-cultural events. Since years, grant of temporary licence for such events has been included in the policy. And it's granted in rarest of the rare occasions. I have assured that the government will reconsider their demands while formulating new excise policy in February next year."