The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, October 13, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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Contractors’ ‘army’ mans nakas
Varinder Walia and Ashok Sethi

Amritsar, October 12
Battlelines have been drawn between powerful wine contractors of the border district. “Unauthorised” joint nakas by Punjab police commandos and the “private army” raised by the liquor lobby have been harassing the common man, it is being alleged.

A piquant situation arose when the Beas police seized a consignment of liquor last week, but the Excise and Taxation Department sought its immediate release. The police registered an FIR, allegedly at the behest of another liquor contractor.

Ms Shashi Prabha, SSP, Majitha police district, claimed that the consignment was first seized and then released on the request of the Excise Department. She said the police was recommending the cancellation of the FIR.

A visit to various entry points of the city revealed that “special nakas” had been put up to check the inflow of liquor which is available at cheaper rates in certain parts of the city. The police commandos deployed at the checkpost were checking vehicles.

Policemen, specially brought from Reserve Battalion (D-Division), said they were deployed on the orders of an SP to check the smuggling of liquor. Interestingly, the policemen were not wearing nameplates with a view to concealing their identity. The “private army” of a wine contractor was also busy checking smuggling with the help of the police commandos.

Jasbir Singh, head constable, however, claimed that the policemen were deployed to check the possibility of a confrontation between the men of the contractor and those smuggling liquor. Mr Sunil, who had been deputed by the wine contractor, said they were checking the inflow of “cheaper liquor” which would affect the sale of wine shops in the city.

The SP (City), Dr S.K. Kalia, said the nakas put up by the police were meant for general checking. He justified the joint checking by private men and the police saying that the men of liquor contractors were helping the police to check the smuggling of liquor. He said recently the police had seized 173 cases of liquor from a tractor trailer being smuggled from Ajnala to Amritsar.

Mr Inderpreet Singh Chadha, one of the partners of a liquor contractor, justifying the special nakas said they wanted to protect their interest being the highest bidder for the Amritsar group. He alleged that the rival contractors were indulging in unethical business by circulating cheaper liquor.

The Ajnala group contractor, meanwhile, in a communication to the Chief Minister, has sought high-level probe into the “harassment” by the police at Beas which had seized their liquor consignment which had valid excise and taxation permits and invoices. He said the consignment was brought in a Canter and was detained for three days at police station Beas.

Despite repeated requests by the Excise and Taxation Officer, Mr Rajpal Singh, to release it fell on deaf ears, he said, adding that samples had been drawn from every bottle. The police released the Canter along with the driver and cleaner after three days following a tough stand by the Excise Department.