Sanjeev Bariana

LOGO: The Tribune Interview: Capt Amarinder Singh, CM, Punjab

QUOTE WITH PIX

“I will not allow Punjab to become a hub of such trade which not only causes losses to the exchequer but also poses a serious threat to people’s health”

HEADLINE: Committed to eliminate illicit liquor trade: Capt

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Amid allegations of the authorities going slow on the probe into the illicit liquor business, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, in an interview with The Tribune correspondent Sanjeev Singh Bariana, while accepting that there was a major racket, spoke about his government’s plan to eliminate the menace and bring the guilty to book. Excerpts:

-You have set up a SIT to probe the illicit liquor trade. Was this done after a preliminary inquiry?

No, there was no preliminary inquiry. There was enough indication of the illicit trade after illegal distilleries were unearthed. A factory in Ludhiana’s Khadur village was found filling cheap whiskey into bottles of top foreign brands during a joint raid by the Excise and Taxation and Police Departments on February 13. Subsequently, the enforcement agencies swung into action. They found more and more evidence of a large-scale mafia. I decided that this warranted the setting up of an SIT so that the culprits were brought to book.

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-Has the SIT been given a time frame for submission of its report?

I have asked it to submit a report at the earliest without compromising on the investigation. The racket seems to be widespread and the SIT has a huge task of probing every aspect.

-Does the state have a mechanism to check the quality of liquor in bottles sold at the vends?

There has always been a system of random and periodic checking to see if the bottles have the hologram issued to the registered distilleries/bottling plants. The vends are inspected regularly for any stock unaccounted for. Also, random sampling is undertaken periodically by the Food and Drug Administration.

-What steps do you plan to check such activity which entails loss of revenue?

Following the recent raids, we have intensified random sampling at the vends. The Excise and Taxation Department, along with the district administrations, launched ‘Operation Red Rose on May 17. Since then, 3,202 FIRs have been filed and 2,436 persons arrested under the Excise Act. The seizures include 31,782 litres of illicit liquor, 1,03,817 litres of smuggled liquor and 5,49,806 kg of lahan. These are big numbers.The SIT will ensure that the entire network is busted.

As for the revenue losses, there is really no way to assess these as the department confines itself to the number of bottles seized. The focus now is on eliminating the illicit liquor business so that there is no revenue loss on this account. I will not allow Punjab to become a hub of such trade which not only causes losses to the exchequer but also poses a serious threat to people’s health.

-Any more steps being initiated to check the illegal trade?

We have taken several pro-active steps. I have set up a five-member Excise Reforms Group to look into all aspects of this activity with the explicit aim of breaking the nexus between manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. The panel, comprising Housing and Urban Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria; Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla; Adviser (Financial Resources) VK Garg, Secretary (School Education) Krishan Kumar and retired IAS officer DS Kalha, will take into account the suggestions made by Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and former Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Strict action will be taken against those involved.

-Is the government probing allegations that certain Congress MLAs are indulging in the illicit liquor trade or backing it?

As I said earlier, the SIT and the Excise Reforms Group will look into every aspect of the illicit business. The aim of the latter is to suggest ways to break the nexus.Those found complicit will face action as per the law, irrespective of who they are.The law will take its own course. I have made it clear to all concerned that we will not allow any impediment in the investigation or the legal process.