Keep an eye on unauthorised liquor stock, Jalandhar DC tells cops, excise officials

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 7

Keeping in view the forthcoming Assembly elections in the district, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori today ordered the officials of police and excise department to further intensify their drive against the illicit liquor smuggling and bootlegging so as to strict compliance of the directions of Election Commission in letter and spirit.

Participating in a state-level virtual review meeting, the DC said all distilleries, warehouses, godowns, cold storages, etc in the district to be put under 24X7 CCTV monitoring to ensure that no liquor was released without proper licence. He emphasised on the need for round-the-clock monitoring of liquor vends, dhabas and other points, which could be used as potential storage points in terms of unauthorised liquor storage. He also said that special checking should be further organised in the coming days to check liquor smuggling and bootlegging in the district.

He said it was due to increased vigil as a total of 3.62 lakh litres lahan was confiscated in December last while 7.12 lakh litres recovered and destroyed in the last seven months. Likewise, one bottling plant was also unearthed last year wherein FIR was registered against as many as 16 accused. The DC said that in a joint operation was also launched by officials of Jalandhar and Ludhiana district along Sutlej where massive recovery of 2.10 lakh litres of lahan was made in a single day.

He said such kind of illegal practices would be dealt with heavy hands and strict action to be taken against the culprits. The DC said that more coordinated and concerted efforts to be made by the joint teams of the civil and police administration along with the excise department at the tehsil and subdivisional level for this purpose.

DC Thori further added that special nakas were also being set up to check supply of alcohol/spirit/ chemical, which could be used as raw material, for making liquor. He also stated that special monitoring of the activities of history-sheeters was also being made as no one would be allowed take law in their hands.

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included DETC Jaskaran Singh Brar, Assistant Commissioner Excise Hanumant Singh, Ranjit Singh and Excise Officer Harjot Bedi.