The recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi liquor policy has stirred significant political and legal debate. This is not the first time a CAG report has alleged massive financial losses to the government. The last such high-profile report was in 2010, when then-CAG Vinod Rai claimed that the 2G spectrum allocation had resulted in a loss of Rs 1.76 trillion to the Indian exchequer. However, years later, the case fell apart in court due to a lack of credible evidence, raising the question&mdash;will the Delhi liquor policy case meet the same fate?
The Parallel Between the 2G Case and Delhi Liquor Policy Scam
In both cases, the sequence of events follows a strikingly similar trajectory. In the 2G spectrum case, allegations first surfaced through an NGO that approached the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which then ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. The CBI filed an FIR in 2009, targeting unknown officials of the Department of Telecommunications, Minister A. Raja, and other political figures. The following year, the CAG report quantified the alleged loss at Rs 1.76 trillion. What followed was a decade-long legal battle, culminating in the acquittal of all accused in 2017 due to a lack of concrete evidence. Special Judge O.P. Saini, who presided over the case for seven years, lamented that the prosecution failed to provide legally admissible evidence, with much of the case resting on &ldquo;rumour, gossip, and speculation.&rdquo;
Fast forward to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam, and the pattern is eerily similar. In September 2022, the CBI registered an FIR against Delhi Minister Manish Sisodia and others. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) subsequently conducted searches, raids, and high-profile arrests, including those of Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Now, in 2025, with a BJP-led government in Delhi, the CAG has tabled a report claiming that the state suffered a loss of Rs 2,002 crore due to the previous administration&rsquo;s failure to seek timely approvals for liquor vends.
The Political Echoes of 2011: Kejriwal&rsquo;s Role Then and Now
Back in 2011, Arvind Kejriwal and his team led a crusade against corruption, using the CAG&rsquo;s findings on 2G spectrum allocation to attack the Congress-led UPA government. Their campaign was instrumental in tarnishing the image of the Manmohan Singh administration, contributing to its eventual electoral downfall. Now, Kejriwal finds himself at the receiving end of similar allegations, raising questions about whether the liquor policy case is a genuine pursuit of justice or a politically motivated move.
Can the CBI and ED Prove Their Case in Court?
The key question remains: Will the CBI and ED be able to substantiate their claims in court, or will the liquor policy case unravel as the 2G case did? In the 2G trial, despite years of investigation and a high-profile prosecution, the court found no legally sustainable evidence to prove wrongdoing. If the Delhi liquor scam case follows a similar trajectory, it could end in acquittals, once again raising concerns about investigative agencies' ability to build watertight cases.
The BJP&rsquo;s Selective Emphasis on CAG Reports
The ruling BJP, which is using the latest CAG report to attack the AAP government, must also address its own inconsistencies. A 2006 CAG report highlighting a Rs 500 crore scam in Gujarat&rsquo;s Sujalam Sufalam canal expansion project remains unaddressed and has yet to be tabled in the Gujarat Assembly. If the BJP genuinely values CAG findings, why has it failed to act on reports that expose irregularities under its own governance?
The Road Ahead
The outcome of the Delhi liquor policy case will be a litmus test for both investigative agencies and the judiciary. If the prosecution fails to present compelling evidence, as in the 2G case, it will only reinforce allegations of selective and politically driven investigations. On the other hand, if the agencies successfully establish wrongdoing, it could set a significant precedent in tackling corruption at the state level. Until then, the nation watches as history threatens to repeat itself.
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2G spectrum acquitted accused and Delhi Liquor policy scam alleged accused

Can CBI and ED prove Kejriwal govt’s liquor scam, or will it collapse like the 2G spectrum case?

Will Delhi Liquor Scam Case Hold in Court Like 2G?

Can CBI and ED prove Kejriwal govt’s liquor scam, or will it collapse like the 2G spectrum case?

February 25, 2025 | 22:16 IST