Liquor cartels in Punjab flourish as Excise dept turns a blind eye

Numerous Punjab politicians are backing the traders,said sources.

“We have done what we could but the mafia is very strong and as huge money is involved,no officer is willing to take stern action fearing backfire from the government,” said a senior excise officer. “They make more than Rs 1.5 crore illegally everyday and we are helpless. Traders charge as per their whims and stock liquor illegally as they are backed by senior politicians,” he added.

Beer,Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and certain other whiskies are being sold at rates decided by the cartels and are almost Rs 50 to Rs 150 above the maximum retail price.

“We charge Rs 310 for a quarter of IMFL brand,” said a vend employee. On being questioned why he was charging above the MRP,he replied that the rates are decided by the Syndicate (another name for the cartel).

Interestingly,no vend that the Express team visited was willing to give a bill for the purchase.

“It’s your choice to buy or not. I can guarantee that no liquor vendor in Punjab will give you a bill,” said an employee at a liquor shop in Patiala.

Beer in Punjab is presently sold at prices varying between Rs 70 to Rs 80 a bottle against the maximum retail price of Rs 55 and Rs 62,depending on the liquor strength.

“Their rates keep on increasing year after year and sometimes after the draw of vends by the excise department,rates are increased in the peak months. In summers,beer gets costly by Rs 10 and if you want to complain,the excise department turns a deaf ear as their officers are hand in glove with the liquor mafia,” alleged consumers.

Punjab has witnessed a 10 to 14 per cent growth in the sale of beer in the past few years. To reduce the consumption of stiff drinks,the state government had offered some special concessions on beer and wine.

As The Indian Express team camped in Rajpura,henchmen of the local liquor mafia were seen openly stopping vehicles and frisking them at police checkposts in the name of checking smuggling.

“We are doing our duty and you better get out of here,” they threatened the correspondent when confronted late on Wednesday night.

The checkpost,where two constables were also present,was managed entirely by the henchmen,to ensure no liquor from Chandigarh was brought into the state.

“This is wrong and who are these anti-social elements to check my vehicle when I am traveling with my family. The police seem to be sleeping,” claimed Ravi Singh,who was stopped at one such checkpost.

Patiala SP (City) Narinder Kaushal,meanwhile,said that since he had joined recently,he was unaware of the matter but would look into it. “I will personally conduct raids on the Patiala-Rajpura bypass,” he said.

Punjab Excise and Taxation Commissioner A Venu Prasad told The Indian Express that he had received some complaints but he was “helpless in fixing the liquor prices”,and nor could he do anything to ensure that consumers get bills for the purchase.

“This has been going on for the years and I cannot do anything. We conduct surveys along with companies to see that no fake brand is sold in the state,” he said.