“Plaint anonymous”: Three excise officers’ transfer case is closed

While the Punjab Excise Department are the subject of a political tug-of-war, the Election Commission of India has provided these officers with temporary respite.

Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam, Additional Commissioner Excise Naresh Dubey, and Deputy Commissioner Excise Distilleries Udhaydeep Singh are the three officers whose transfer is being sought. The case has been closed and a reply has been sent to the Election Commission of India, citing regulations that state no action can be taken if the complainant is anonymous.

Sibin C., the Chief Electoral Officer for Punjab, informed The Tribune that he had asked the Personnel Department to provide a report on the allegation. “The Excise Department responded to the Personnel Department, and we have got their responses. They state that because the complaint is anonymous, it should be submitted in accordance with the directives issued by the Punjab Government on 3.5.1967. The Indian Election Commission has received the response,” he said.

It has been discovered that the Excise Department requested that the cybercrime unit look into the complaint in its response. The complaint just includes the complainant’s email address.

The Election Commission of India received a complaint on March 25 about the appointment of “tainted officers” to the Excise Commissionerate of the Department of Excise and Taxation, according to material that The Tribune has access to.

In addition to claiming that Roojam and Dubey are involved in the “infamous liquor fraud and the consequent excise Policy of year 2022–23,” the complaint also claims that in August 2022, these officials’ homes were searched and papers were taken from them.

According to the complaint, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, these personnel have been summoned in for interrogation on many occasions as part of the continuing probe by the CBI and ED. The lawsuit further states that the AAP administration has repeatedly rejected the CBI’s and ED’s requests for sanctions in order to prosecute these personnel.

It asks, “How can free and fair elections be held with these officers at the helm of affairs?” adding that they are shielded by the AAP administration.

The lawsuit also describes Roojam’s part in the guava orchard fraud. It also mentions an allegation that the CBI is looking into about Naresh Dubey and the forced shutdown of a distillery.

It also mentions that Udhaydeep Singh Sidhu, a PCS officer, was appointed to the position of Deputy Commissioner Excise, Distilleries and Patiala Zone for the first time. On behalf of the AAP government, accusations of corruption have been made, highlighting the officer’s involvement in encouraging it.