Punjab CM orders crackdown on liquor smuggling

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday directed police to crack down on liquor smuggling in a bid to prevent revenue loss to the cash-strapped state. The chief minister also ordered immediate action against the DSPs and SHOs under whose jurisdictions liquor smuggling or illegal distillation takes place, said a government release.

Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta issued necessary directives to all commissioners of police and district police chiefs in the state to identify liquor smugglers by May 23. The officers have been asked to take all possible legal action against such persons, including under relevant provisions of the Disaster Management and the Epidemic Diseases Act, the release said.

The DGP said the CM has made it clear that in the wake of an acute economic and financial stress due to the coronavirus lockdown, the state government needs to mobilise all possible revenue. Thus, it cannot afford any loss of revenue on account of smuggling of liquor from outside the state or due to illicit distillation, he said.

The commissioners of police and district police chiefs have been asked to put the SHOs of all police stations on notice and direct them to stop the smuggling of liquor. The DGP warned that in case of failure to do so, the SHO concerned will be shifted and necessary departmental action will be initiated.

On May 14, police along with officials of the excise department had raided an illegal distillery-cum-liquor bottling plant at Ghanaur in Patiala..

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