Page 2 - Excise Revenue

SC judge recuses from hearing Sisodia's plea for revival of bail petitions

Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kumar on Thursday recused from hearing pleas of AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia by which his bail petitions has been sought to be revived in the excise policy scam cases. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Sanjay Karol and Sanjay Kumar said another bench in which Justice Kumar is not a member will take up Sisodia's two separate pleas for reviving his bail petitions in cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the excise policy scam case. As soon as the matter was taken up for hearing, Justice Khanna said, "Our brother has some difficulty. He will not like to hear this matter for personal reasons." Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Sisodia, requested the bench to list the matter urgently, saying time is of essence. He said the trial has not yet commenced in both the cases. The bench said another bench will take it up on July 15. On June 4, the top court ha

Excise Policy case: HC lists Kejriwal's plea against ED summons for Sept 9

The Delhi High Court on Thursday listed for hearing on September 9 Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe into an excise policy-linked money laundering case. A bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh granted four more weeks to the AAP leader to file a rejoinder to the reply submitted by the ED. The senior counsel, appearing for Kejriwal, sought more time to file the rejoinder saying there are certain changes in the circumstances and they have not been given a proper legal interview, a plea for which is pending in the high court. "Let the rejoinder be filed in four weeks," the bench, also comprising Justice Amit Sharma, said. The counsel for the ED had earlier said the petition against the summonses was infructuous after Kejriwal's arrest by the agency on March 21 in the money laundering case following the high court's refusal to grant him interim protection from coercive action.

Delhi excise policy: Court issues notice to CBI on K Kavitha's bail plea

Kavitha is in judicial custody in both the CBI and the money laundering case. She was first arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on March 15. Thereafter, she was arrested by the CBI

Delhi court sends Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12 in excise case

A court here on Saturday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12 in a corruption case related to the alleged excise scam. Kejriwal was produced in the court by the CBI after the end of his three-day custodial interrogation. The CBI sought 14 days jail for Kejriwal, saying his incarceration was required "in the interest of the investigation and justice". Allowing the plea, Special Judge Sunena Sharma said that Kejriwal be produced in the court on July 12. A detailed order from the court is awaited. Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI in connection with irregularities in his government's excise policy. On March 21, he was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped policy. He was granted bail by a trial court that was stayed by the Delhi High Court.

Madhya Pradesh government earns record revenue from excise this year

According to the data, additional revenue of Rs 1,561 crore will be received in the year 2024-25 as compared to the previous year

Excise 'scam': Sanjay Singh to share itinerary, keep Google location on

Special CBI Judge Kaveri Baweja was directed to furnish a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh and one surety bond in the same amount. His wife, Anita Singh, furnished the surety bond

Court extends ED custody of Kavitha till Mar 26 in Delhi excise policy case

A court here on Saturday extended the Enforcement Directorate custody of BRS leader K Kavitha, an accused in the Delhi excise policy scam case, till March 26. The federal probe agency has sought a five-day extension of her custody. The ED has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the 'South Group' that has been accused of paying the AAP kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. After producing her in court, the ED said that she was confronted with the statements of four people and a forensic report of the data extracted from her phone. The probe agency also told the court that raids were being conducted at the house of her nephew in Hyderabad. BRS leader's counsel filed a bail plea in court. Kavitha, 46, a Telangana Legislative Council member, was arrested by the central probe agency from her residence at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad on March 15.

Punjab's GST mop-up increases by 16% to over Rs 19,000 crore till February

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in Punjab jumped 15.69 per cent to Rs 19,222 crore in the current financial year so far, while the state's excise revenue rose 11.71 per cent to Rs 8,093.59 crore. The net GST collection up to February in the current fiscal year stood at Rs 19,222.5 crore, up from Rs 16,615.52 crore collected during the same period of the preceding fiscal, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Sunday. Cheema further said that the state's excise revenue also witnessed an impressive growth of Rs 842.72 crore with the overall collection of Rs 8,093.59 crore as against Rs 7,244.87 crore recorded during the same period a year ago, according to an official statement. Cheema said that the state has seen a shift in its fiscal trajectory since Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led AAP government assumed office in March 2022. "With better planning and implementation, the state has recorded net tax revenue growth of 13.85 per cent, surpassing Rs 34,158 crore

U'khand govt approves new excise policy, sets revenue target of Rs 4,440 cr

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday approved the state's new excise policy setting a revenue target of Rs 4,440 crore for 2024-25. The target for the next fiscal set by the cabinet is 11 per cent more than that of the current financial year (2023-24) which stood at Rs 4000 crore. The decision to approve the new excise policy was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi told reporters. The new excise policy will boost the state's revenue by high quality, aromatic liquor production using the Himalayan state's rich herbal and floral wealth, the fruits grown here and its multiple water resources, she said. It will also enhance the income of farmers in the state, the chief secretary said. It makes provision for a micro distillation unit in the hills to promote innovation and investment in the field in hilly areas, she said. The new policy makes provisions for the first time for the bottling of foreign liqu

Excise policy: SC defers hearing on Sanjay Singh's plea against his arrest

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred till March 5 the hearing on AAP leader Sanjay Singh's plea challenging his arrest and remand in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta adjourned the matter after it was informed by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), that the order on Singh's regular bail plea had been reserved by the Delhi High Court on January 31. "He has moved for regular bail before the high court and order has been reserved on his petition. Kindly adjourn it for a while," Raju requested the court. The bench said it is listing the matter for hearing on March 5. On November 20 last year, the top court had sought responses from the Centre and the ED on Singh's plea challenging his arrest and remand in the case. The top court had said that if Singh filed a petition for regular bail in the interregnum, then it should be considered independent

Uttar Pradesh tax mop-up may zoom 40% to Rs 2.62 trillion in FY24

Together, the state's composite tax and financial resources add up to Rs 5.46 trillion in FY24, up more than 17 per cent compared to the corresponding figure of Rs 4.65 trillion in FY23

Delhi liquor sales log 14% on-year jump in Dec, 45 mn bottles sold: Data

The sale of liquor in Delhi recorded a 14 per cent on-year growth in December, with 4.56 crore bottles sold in the national capital during the month. According to official Excise department data, 3,99,60,509 (3.99 crore) bottles of liquor were sold in December 2022 through a network of 520 shops. This year, 4,56,00,135 (4.56 crore) bottles have been sold till December 29 from 635 vends. Department officials said with two more days to go, a significant surge in sales owing to New Year's celebrations is expected. According to the data, 19,42,717 (19.42 lakh) bottles were sold on December 24 -- the highest single-day sales during the month this year. On the same day last year, 14,69,357 (14.69 lakh) bottles were sold. December 31, 2002, however, witnessed a record sale of 20,30,664 (20.30 lakh) bottles -- the highest single-day sales figure for that month. The Excise department has also intensified enforcement to check illegal sale of liquor during the festival season. The departm

Delhi excise case: Court asks CBI to depute sufficient staff for inspection

Former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia is an accused in CBI as well as money laundering case. In both cases, charge sheets have been filed against Sisodia and other accused persons

Delhi court seeks ED's reply on Sanjay Singh's bail plea by Dec 6

A Delhi court on Tuesday directed the ED to file by December 6 its reply to an application by AAP MP Sanjay Singh seeking bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. Special Judge M K Nagpal issued notice to the central probe agency on the application, which claimed that no purpose will be served by keeping Singh in further custody. The judge also directed the ED to provide a copy of the reply to the accused. The anti-money laundering agency had arrested Singh on October 4. The ED has alleged that Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the now scrapped policy, which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, for monetary considerations. Singh has strongly refuted the allegations.

Delhi govt collects excise revenue of over Rs 3,500 crore in H1FY24

The Delhi government's excise department has earned a revenue of more than Rs 3,500 crore with a sale of 27.6 crore liquor bottles in the first half of the current financial year, officials said on Wednesday. The revenue figure came amid a controversy over alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22. According to official data, the Delhi government earned a revenue of Rs 3,588 crore in April-September 2023-24. The revenue from liquor trade included Rs 2,457 crore as excise duty and Rs 1,131 crore as value added tax (VAT) on the sale of 27.6 crore liquor bottles during the period. The April-September period last year was marred by scrapping of the excise policy 2021-22 by the Delhi government after a CBI probe was recommended by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena into alleged irregularities in its implementation. The retail liquor sale was badly hit with the private vendors surrendering licences and shortage of stocks due to the turmoil caused by the CBI probe,

Union excise duty collection fell 12% in first five months of FY24

Experts were not sure why excise duty yielded fewer revenues in August year-on-year since the production of petroleum rose during the period

Excise dept asks hotels to submit police verification certificate by Sep 15

The Delhi government has made it mandatory for proprietors and firm partners running hotels, clubs and restaurants in the city to submit their police verification certificates by September 15, officials said on Tuesday. The step was taken by the excise department to ensure that a person holding the excise licence was of good moral character and did not have any criminal record, officials said. A recent order of the excise department stated that proprietor or owners of hotels, clubs and restaurants (HCR) as well as partners and directors in firms running such establishments will have to submit their police verifications. The direction came in the wake of the excise department being not informed about HCR licensees changing owners, directors or partners of the firms running hotel, clubs and bars. "It was a precautionary step to ensure that the retail liquor trade in Delhi was not affected by any unwanted persons in the wake of the alleged irregularities related to the excise policy .

Uttar Pradesh govt targeting excise revenues of Rs 58,000 crore in FY24

The state is looking at attracting investment in the ethanol sector to boost farm income and generate employment

Punjab delegation visits Kerala to learn tech to plug revenue leakage

A Punjab government delegation led by Finance and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema visited Kerala to learn about technological interventions in plugging revenue leakage and raising excise revenue. The delegation also comprised Financial Commissioner, Taxation, Vikas Partap, and Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam. Their visit to Kerala also included learning about the supply chain management ERP software and point of sale system being used by the Kerala Excise department, said an official release. "The purpose of the visit was to learn about the technological interventions which are important from the point of view of plugging revenue leakages and enhancing the excise revenue," Cheema said. He said the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software will provide the Punjab Excise Department an integrated and real-time view of its core processes. These would be easily accessible through one centralised system, the minister said. Cheema said this software will help in enhancing transpar

Himachal Pradesh taxes and excise department revenue registers 13% growth

The Himachal Pradesh tax department has collected Rs 1,004 crore in the current fiscal year till May 31 against Rs 890 crore collected during the corresponding period in the last financial year, registering a growth of 13 per cent, officials said. The department is continuously monitoring the speedy scrutiny of returns, timely completion of GST audits and capacity building of the tax officers to improve GST collection, said Yunus, commissioner, State Taxes and Excise, in a release issued here. The department has targeted verifications of 13 lakh e-way bills during the current financial year. The department officers in the first two months of the current financial year verified 1.85 lakh e-way bills and collected a penalty of Rs 92 lakh from violators, he said. He also informed that the department detected several non-existing registrations in the past few months. A two months long Pan-India special drive against fraudulent GST registration was initiated on May 15, 2023. The objecti