Report sought from excise department on ‘biased action’ against illegal liquor in Chandigarh

The Chandigarh election department on Thursday sent a fresh notice to UT’s excise and taxation department following a complaint alleging biased action by senior excise officials against illegal liquor.

A complaint was lodged with the Election Commission of India (ECI), stating the excise officials, under the influence of some people, were taking action only against competitive vends and licence holders. A particular liquor lobby is running in Chandigarh, in coordination with excise and taxation commissioner Rupesh Kumar and other officials of the department, who are targeting only selective liquor licensees, it alleged.

“In April this year, teams of the excise and taxation department had raided a liquor godown in Chandigarh’s Kajheri area and after finding discrepancies and illegal liquor, the godown was sealed. But no further action was taken against the licensee. In other similar cases, the excise department takes no time in confiscating and destroying illegal liquor, and in this case, only seals were put on the illegal store. The excise department officials are making lopsided and impartial decisions,” the complainant further alleged.

ECI had forwarded the complaint to the Chandigarh election department for inquiry and action. The department had then issued a notice to the excise department for a response.

“In an interim reply to the election department, the officials from the excise department refuted the allegations and said action is being taken against all violators, irrespective of vends’ owners or influence. Fair action is being taken against all. Also, the department had said they were taking action against the Kajheri godown holder, according to the Excise Act and proceedings are going on as per law,” officials from the election department said.

But the department found that the interim report submitted by the excise department was made without listening to the complainant’s grievances, forcing it to shoot off another notice.

“The excise department was mandated to hear the complainant. Even ECI is not convinced with the interim reply. Though the excise department had said they were interrogating and listening to the complainant, no fresh report has been submitted till now,” the officials said, adding that a fresh notice was sent on Thursday and an immediate report has been sought to be further sent to ECI.