Continuing its campaign against illegal liquor mafia and tax evasion in the state, Himachal Pradesh’s State Tax and Excise Department has destroyed a total of 1275 liter lahan, besides seizing 3,504 illegal liquor bottles. The Department, during this campaign, has also imposed a penalty of 5.035 kg gold and 14.236 kg silver.
Sharing the information, the state Excise Commissioner Dr Yunus on Sunday said that illegal liquor distilleries were being set up by anti-social elements in Shri Naina Devi area of Bilaspur district. “The Department’s enforcement team received secret information on which the departmental team immediately took action and reached the area and conducted a raid in which 1200 liters of raw lahan was seized which was being illegally converted into liquor,” he said.
He added, “There were six drums of 200 liters each. The department destroyed the liquor on the spot as per excise rules and also demolished the liquor distillery.”
Apart from this, an illegal liquor trader was caught with 10 liters of liquor and further action was taken as per rules, he said.
The Department’s enforcement team also set up a checkpoint (naka) at Mehatpur in Una during the inspection and seized 24 bottles of English liquor and 46 bottles of beer (For sale in Chandigarh) and collected fine as per the Excise Act.
He said that that the team raided five places in which the team seized 53 bottles of country liquor and registered a case against the guilty person under Section 39 of the Excise Act in Sirmour district. Departmental officers inspected liquor shops in Una and Baddi excise districts under the Excise Act and 74 boxes of liquor were seized from the premises of licensees who violated the rules.
Enforcement Directorate (South Zone), Parwanoo, has also curbed the illegal liquor trade by seizing 121 bottles of liquor at various places in the zone. Total 75 liters of lahan was destroyed on the spot by the officials in Rohru area of Shimla, he added.
Dr Yunus said that the campaign against illegal liquor and tax evasion by the officers of the department in various districts of the state has been quite successful, where in the past few times the officers have seized about 3405 bottles and taken action as per rules, while the department has also taken action in cases of tax evasion. “5.035 kg of gold jewelry and 14.236 kg of silver has also been seized and the value of this jewelry is approximately Rs 2.96 crore. The department has collected a fine of approximately Rs 18.09 lakh,” he added.
The Excise Commissioner said that instructions had already been issued to the officials to take strict action against the traders involved in illegal liquor and tax evasion. The Excise Department will continue to take such action against the manufacturing and trade of illegal liquor in future also, he said.
The department has ordered departmental officers to take strict action against those involved in illegal activities; and for this, total 26 teams are working across the State in this campaign.
The Excise Commissioner also informed that the department has set up a 24x7 control room at the headquarters level to monitor illegal liquor and to register complaints against illegal liquor, at toll free number 1800-1808-062 and Whatsapp number 94183-31426 have also been issued.
At the same time, the Excise Commissioner requested the general public to register any type of complaint related to illegal liquor on the given numbers so that immediate action can be taken.