Move to destroy seized liquor now raises a storm

Vijay Times, Nov 1, 2005

B D Narayankar

Bangalore: The circular issued by the excise department prior to zilla and taluk panchayat elections directing its officials to destroy confiscated Indian Made F oreign Liquor (IMFL) has raised a storm in political circles. They suspect that in the name of destroying liquor , the authorities concerned will divert and supply it to voters during the elections. The modus operandi to divert seized liquor is simple -- replace the bottles of seized liquor with new ones by filling them a peg each from the seized bottle and adding water into them before destroying. Many political leaders, cutting across party lines, are wary of the timing of the circular when election code had already been announced. ’’Usually , the excise department destroys seized liquor during MayJ une. Why does it want to do it no w? There is something fishy about it,’’ a Congress leader complained. Since the liquor was seized from distillers for not paying go vernment duties, it was not mandatory for the department to conduct chemical analysis for human consumption. ’’It therefore, becomes easy to divert liquor during elections. Government should take immediate steps to issue a new circular asking excise officials not to destroy it as elections are fast nearing,’’ another Congress leader said. Moreover , leaders contend that the excise department had not thought of auctioning the confiscated liquor that was seized two years ago . ’’Why government has not auctioned the liquor all this time, but doing it now . Authorities concerned should clarify ,’’ he said. He alleged that more than Rs 50 crore worth confiscated liquor would come into play during panchayat elections. Excise Commissioner D M N ayak told Vijay T imes that he was aware of the dangerous portents of destroying liquor during elections. ’’There is a necessity of issuing a new directive asking officials not to destroy seized liquor on the eve of elections,’’ he felt. Nayak dismissed the option of auctioning the seized liquor as the government had decided against doing it in the aftermath of Nelamangala hooch tragedy . It had decided to destroy seized liquor and auction emptied bottles, he informed.