BENGALURU: Opposition BJP MLAs on Tuesday raised the issue of liquor being sold illegally in villages across the state, but excise officials kept mum. “A big liquor mafia is operating in the state and the government should take action,” BJP members demanded.
During the question hour, Doddaballapur MLA Dheeraj Muniraju said, “We are close to the Andhra border and sendi (local liquor) is bought there and sold here. We have filed 132 cases against 150 people.”
He said every liquor shop/bar across the state has CCTV cameras fixed by the Excise Department. Despite that, liquor is bought in large quantities and sold illegally at houses, though the rule states that one cannot buy more than 2.3 litres of liquor, he added.
The illegal business is thriving because Excise officials are pressuring shops and bars to sell more, and they are selling it to houses illegally, he alleged. “At a village in my constituency, 14 youth aged between 28 and 40 have died due to liver failure because of high liquor consumption in two years. Excise officials, who are hand in glove with the liquor mafia, are allowing the illegal sale of liquor at houses. Action should be taken,” he said.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said it is happening at every village, but Excise officials have not seized any liquor from houses.
Former home minister Araga Jnanendra said, “It is not difficult to track. When bottles are seized from these houses, batch numbers on them will lead to respective bars and then action can be taken against them.” Excise Minister Timmapur said they will take action.