-SATISH HANDA

During lock down period in 2020 huge quantity of illicit liquor was sold in the states as well as illegally smuggled from Haryana state to other states including Gujarat and Bihar both declared dry states by the government including few other states Punjab,  U.P, Rajasthan and Delhi by liquor mafias in which the state suffered huge revenue loss worth hundreds crore when Haryana state government constituted a investigation team comprising of senior IAS, IPS and Excise department officers to investigate the case attracted headlines in the newspapers and punish all those liquor mafias as well as government officers involved in this scam. However, the investigation report named few persons involved in scams which were restricted to arrest of few liquor mafias, police employees and the drivers of vehicles in which smuggled liquor either collected illegally from few refineries or stolen from the godowns belonging to state government in-spite of strict police vigilance. Information reveals that no stern action was taken against accused involved in this scam worth crores of rupees and related files remained hanging on fire because of government was busy in fighting epidemic outbreak in the state as well as in the country.

However, state police as well as excise department took action and busted several gangs arresting accused involved in the manufacture of illicit liquor in the state when nearly 50 persons in Haryana state were reported killed and many more lost eyesight after consuming spurious liquor in past one year. Information reveals, during present lock down period, most of the liquor contractors in the state have become active again illegally selling liquor from the back doors of their vends as well as godowns,  even cases of door-to-door sale of liquor has been reported at several places in the state in-spite of the fact government has ordered closure of all liquor shops during present lock down period due to fast spreading epidemic outbreak in the state since state police is busy in arrests of accused involved in black marketing life saving drugs including ‘Remedsivir’ injections and supply of oxygen cylinders to patients struggling for life in hospitals. According to information, illicit liquor sale and smuggling business has started flourishing in few districts in the state including Fatehabad, Sirsa, Charkhi Dadri, Hisar, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Gurugram, Faridabad  and Mewat.

In past couple of days, after lock down declared by the government in Haryana state Bhuna police station in Fsatehabad district during a raid seized 340 cases illicit liquor. Similarly, in another raid Jhojhukalan police station at Dadri recovered 290 cases illicit liquor and arrested seven persons in both cases collected illicit liquor from a godown in Jhajjar district. Information revealed that actual quantity of liquor seized in these raids was higher. In the meantime, police seized huge quantity of illicit liquor from a godown at Charkhi Dadri and a sealed a unit illegally manufacturing ‘Desi’ liquor at Bahadurgarh. Meanwhile, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij took a serious view over the cases of illegal sale and smuggling of liquor during lock down in the state and directed police as well as excise department to take strict action against those involved in illegal sale and manufacturing liquor, besides checking liquor stocks of  L-1 and L-13 contractors and seal their godowns. Information reveals, Fatehabd police has already sealed the godown owned by a  L-13 contractor at Bahadurgarh in which spurious quality liquor suspected refilled as an costly brand liquor and collected samples have aleady been sent to forensic laboratory for testing and submit report.