Amitabh Thakur, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and his wife Dr Nutan Thakur, a social and Right to Information (RTI)activist have filed a Public Interest litigation (PIl) in Allahabad High Court, lucknow bench against the supply of heavily subsidized alcoholic drinks in Defense and paramilitary forces like Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) etc.
The petitioners say that while they welcome the provision of subsidized food items, household goods etc to these people, because of their special service conditions and their service to Nation, they strongly oppose the grant of subsidized liquor at the cost of public exchequer because it hardly seems to be based on any functional requirement and also has detrimental effect on them, other than the misuse of the public money.
Amitabh and Nutan have also questioned the rank-based grant of liquors where in deference forces, subordinate staff is given 4 bottles per month while senior officers get 10 and 14 bottles depending on their ranks. They say that this discriminatory grant of liquor makes it very clear that it is not based on nay functional utility but is an additional unwarranted perk. Hence they have prayed for getting the entire matter studied afresh by a high level committee and to stop all unwarranted provision of cheap liquor as per the findings of this high level study.