VIJAYAWADA: Making it clear that the menace of spurious liquor harming the lives of public will not be tolerated, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed Excise officials to act tough against those involved in the manufacturing and supply of illicit liquor. He instructed them to take stringent action against the accused connected to the illicit liquor manufacturing racket at Mulakalacheruvu in Tamballapalle constituency of Annamayya district.
Holding a review meeting with Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra, Principal Secretary (Excise) Mukesh Kumar Meena, Enforcement Director Rahul Dev Sharma and Excise Commissioner Sridhar at his Camp Office in Undavalli on Sunday, Naidu took stock of the illicit liquor racket.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that after taking some persons with spurious liquor bottles in Mulakalacheruvu into custody, they conducted raids at Kadirinathunithota village near Mulakalacheruvu based on the information provided by them, and identified the illicit liquor manufacturing unit there.
After identifying the involvement of 14 persons in manufacturing the illicit liquor, the officials arrested 10 persons and seized fake labels and liquor bottles of different brands. Identifying one Addepalli Janardhan Rao as A1 in the case, the officials found that he has a bar licence in Vijayawada, and came to Mulakalacheruvu for the illicit liquor business.
The illicit liquor manufactured in the unit was supplied to Andhra Wines in PT Samudram and Rock Star Wines in Mulakalacheruvu. Besides appointing four persons from Tamil Nadu and some from Odisha, the prime accused also appointed a driver for supplying the spurious liquor, the officials informed Naidu.
They said the remaining accused revealed that they were involved in the spurious liquor manufacturing as per the directions of Janardhan Rao. Informing that the licence of Rock Star Wines selling the fake liquor is in the name of T Rajesh, the officials said they seized spurious liquor in the vehicle belonging to him, and sealed both the wine shops after conducting raids.
Stating that the prime accused Janardhan Rao is abroad, the officials said a comprehensive inquiry is being conducted into the issue. The role of a local leader Jayachandra Reddy in the illicit liquor racket is also being probed, they said.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to probe the case from all angles, and take serious action against all those involved in the spurious liquor racket irrespective of their stature.
On the other hand, TDP State president Palla Srinivasa Rao in a release informed that Dasaripalli Jayachandra Reddy and Katta Surendra Naidu were suspended from the TDP for their alleged involvement in the spurious liquor racket.
