New Delhi: Lt Governor V K Saxena has suspended 11 officials, including the then Delhi Excise Commissioner Aarav Gopi Krishna and Deputy Excise Commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari, for “negligence” used in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.

Krishna, a 2012-batch IAS officer of AGMUT-cadre, is currently posted in the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

On July 12 this year, the Delhi Excise Commissioner was transferred. Similarly, the 2003 batch DANICS officer is currently posted in the Delhi Excise Department. Sources in the LG’s office said three ad hoc DANICS officers and six officials of the Delhi government’s excise department have also been suspended.

He said the L-G has taken the decision in view of “negligence on the part of the authorities concerned” in the implementation of the excise policy and “irregularities in the finalisation of the tender and benefits for selection of certain vendors after the tender”.

According to sources, the 11 officers against whom suspension and disciplinary action have been ordered include the then Assistant Excise Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar, Narinder Singh and Neeraj Gupta.

Saxena’s action was taken on the basis of an inquiry report filed by the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV). Sources claimed that the report contained evidence of irregularities, which were given to the DoV by the finance and excise departments headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The Lt Governor has already recommended a CBI probe into the alleged violation of norms in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.

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