VIJAYAWADA: Taking serious note of the involvement of some of the Excise department in diverting liquor stock from government wine shops to make money, taking advantage of the lockdown enforced by the Centre to combat the spread of coronavirus, the State government is contemplating to send a strong message to its staff by removing all those who found guilty from service.
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Chief Minister (Excise) K Narayana Swamy asserted that the government was very serious on the issue. “We have suspended a circle inspector, a sub-inspector and some other staffers following the complaints of diverting liquor from government wine shops. We will not hesitate to remove the errant staffers once the charges against them are proved in the ongoing probe,’’ he asserted. “We suspect the role of some more officials in such malpractice. Stringent action will be taken against all those responsible,” the Deputy Chief Minister added.
Wine shops and bars and restaurants remained closed across the State since March 22, leading to huge demand for liquor. Many incidents of looting liquor shops by miscreants were reported from several parts of the State. There are also complaints that owners of bars and restaurants are selling liquor illegally at exorbitant prices, taking advantage of the huge demand.
Similarly, complaints are pouring in about the involvement of some excise department staffers in getting the stocks out of the wine shops and making money by selling the same at high prices. When asked about the involvement of the staff, the Excise Minister said that some of the staff habituated to make money from liquor during the previous TDP regime and now with the administration focusing on the COVID - 19 preventive measures, the errant officials were once again resorting to the irregularities.
“We will punish all such officials once the inquiry is over,” he asserted. Branding most of the owners of bars and restaurants as the sympathisers of the opposition TDP, Narayana Swamy observed that they were making money by diverting liquor illegally from the bars and selling them at exorbitant prices. A probe was ordered to check stock in every bar and the owners will be booked under PD Act if irregularities are found, he maintained.