Cops sitting on Ghanaur distillery case file

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 22

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is yet to receive case files pertaining to the Ghanaur liquor distillery case, despite “official and personal requests” to the state police by ED Deputy Director Niranjan Singh. The police reportedly seem reluctant as the names of some ruling party leaders have cropped up in the case.

On June 9, Niranjan Singh, who had also led the investigation into the Jagdish Bhola-led multi-crore synthetic drugs racket, wrote a letter to three district police departments, sources said.

He wanted them to share FIRs, probe reports, property details of the accused and interrogation reports of those arrested in the liquor scam. Niranjan Singh also personally met senior police officials to seek records pertaining to seizure of illicit liquor and manufacturing units.

The directorate, conducting probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is looking into at least 12 FIRs registered at various police stations in Patiala, Khanna and Ludhiana.

A top cop said, “Given the political sensitivity of the case, nothing can be shared (with the ED) till the government gives the nod.”

“There is reluctance by the police to share case files with us. Our probe will identify those pocketing crores by evading excise duty,” Niranjan Singh told The Tribune.

“Delay, if any, will only help the accused and create hurdles in the probe. We want to register an FIR and probe the case, but I have received no communication from any SSP so far,” he said.

Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said a special investigating team (SIT) was already probing the case. “We can share case files, once the SIT completes its probe. Moreover, the property-related documents of the accused are with the revenue department and not with us,” he said.

Brewery forced shut, notice to distillery

Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has temporarily forced shut production at a brewery citing various irregularities and issued notice to a distillery for violations. Both units are located in Rajpura block of Patiala district. The brewery is located in Boghara village, while the distillery is at Sandharsi. Notices were reportedly issued to the management of the two units, pointing out various irregularities and asking them to rectify the same. — Ruchika M Khanna