Illegal liquor bust in Patiala: Show cause notice to SP; SHO suspended for laxity

The Patiala police on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to four police officials, including an SP, and also placed under suspension a Station House Officer SHO, a day after the Punjab Excise department unearthed a spurious liquor manufacturing unit here.

The Patiala police on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to four police officials, including an SP, and also placed under suspension a Station House Officer (SHO), a day after the Punjab Excise department unearthed a spurious liquor manufacturing unit here. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Vikramjit Singh Duggal issued show cause notices to SP (Detective), Deputy SP (Rajpura), DSP (D) and incharge of CIA (crime investigation agency).

The SSP ordered the suspension of Rajpura SHO while taking serious notice of the laxity, said an official release issued here. On Tuesday evening, the Punjab Excise department had unearthed a spurious liquor manufacturing unit during a raid at Rajpura in Patiala district.

The department had recovered 20,000 litres of extra neutral alcohol (used in making liquor) and some illegal country-made liquor from the unit. Punjab Financial Commissioner A Venu Prasad said there is a zero tolerance policy towards spurious liquor trade.

He said the department is taking strict action against any illicit liquor trade, as a result of which, the excise revenue rose by 29 per cent this year. Prasad said the Excise Department is taking several measures to check illegal liquor trade.

Excise Commissioner Rajat Agarwal appealed to the people to report any illicit trade activity to the department on its helpline number.