Theft of seized liquor: No lapse on part of excise, taxation commissioner, says Haryana Dy CM

On Thursday, Home Minister Anil Vij, under whom the Police Department comes, had said he has recommended action against Excise and Taxation Commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi and IPS officer Prateeksha Godara for various "lapses pointed out by the SET". About Vidyarthi, Vij had said the SET had pointed out that when the coronavirus lockdown was imposed and it was the decided by the government to shut all institutions, he did not put out written instructions to order the closure of liquor vends.

A day after an SET report regarding the alleged theft of seized liquor from godowns was made public, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Friday rejected the charge that there was any lapse on the part of the state excise and taxation commissioner. Chautala, who holds the charge of the state Excise Department, said according to the special enquiry team report, 14 FIRs were lodged regarding illicit liquor by his department.

“However, in these cases, the Police Department could not conduct any investigation or take any action against any officer beyond arresting drivers of vehicles which were confiscated,” he said. On Thursday, Home Minister Anil Vij, under whom the Police Department comes, had said he has recommended action against Excise and Taxation Commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi and IPS officer Prateeksha Godara for various "lapses pointed out by the SET".

About Vidyarthi, Vij had said the SET had pointed out that when the coronavirus lockdown was imposed and it was the decided by the government to shut all institutions, he did not put out written instructions to order the closure of liquor vends. Vij said the SET has also accused the IAS officer of “blocking the visit of the enquiry team to a distillery near Naraingarh,” telling them that the visit to the distillery premises is not covered under Punjab Excise Policy, 1914, as applicable to Haryana.

“The SET observed that this was nothing but an attempt to block its visit to the distillery,” he had said. Chautala, however, on Friday told reporters that his department is doing a good job to increase the revenue of the state and to curb the network of illicit liquor.

He said after the coronavirus lockdown was imposed on the evening of March 26, he ordered the closure of all liquor vends and by 11 am on March 27, reports of compliance came from all districts. Rejecting the allegations made by the SET against Vidyarthi, the deputy chief minister said he is a senior officer and has done a commendable job regarding the closure of all liquor shops.

On the visit of the SET to the distillery, Chautala said the officer had no role in it. Chautala said the SET has commented on not destroying the confiscated liquor in due time “while it is a matter of record that the stock of illicit liquor till July 2019 has been destroyed and further orders were issued by the department in November 2019 for destroying the seized liquor”.

He said there has been no delay so far in this regard, however, at present, some stock could not be destroyed due to the COVID-19 situation. Chautala said he had asked senior officers of the Excise Department to take action in view of the report alleging negligence by an excise official of Sonipat district.

Replying to a question regarding the transfer of the case to the Vigilance Department, Chautala said there is a process of the state government in this regard and it will be decided accordingly..