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Tribune News Service
Patiala, May 22
The “soft approach” of the Patiala district administration against huge quantity of liquor recovered from a sheller has raised eyebrows. Despite parties demanding registration of case under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, against the sheller owner from whom liquor and election material was recovered, only a case under the Excise Act was registered.
Sources say the Election Commission will look into the FIR and its content in detail as sections relevant to the seizure were not applied by the district administration.
“Election material and liquor was found in possession of the sheller and a detailed report will be sought. Even the Excise Department officials will face the music,” they said. The Election Commission has officially confirmed that they have seized over 13,92,000 litre of liquor worth Rs 10 crore in Punjab.
On May 17, SAD-BJP candidate Surjit Singh Rakhra got a tip-off that liquor trucks were being offloaded at Mahadev Rice Mill sheller in Fatehpur village. Later, Nawan Punjab Party candidate Dr Dharamvira Gandhi also reached the site and together they blocked the Samana-Patran road.
The police recovered a truck, a car with a sticker sporting the Samana MLA’s name and photo along with some banners and flags. The police registered an FIR against sheller owner Gullu Bansal.
“No arrest has been made so far, even as the accused is openly roaming in Patiala,” said Rakhra. Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, S Karuna Raju warned of strict action in this case if “relevant sections are not added”. “Once I see the whole report in this case, I will seek a reply from the DEO. The file will be sent to the Election Commission for necessary action in this FIR,” he added.
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