Puri police hand in glove with offenders: Excise official

PURI: Stoking up a controversy, an excise official has accused Puri Police of rampant corruption which is preventing the department from discharging their duties in the district. Sanjay Kumar Panda, an inspector of the Puri excise wing, has alleged that the department is unable to curb illegal liquor trade due to alleged nexus of the bootleggers with the local cops. 

Shooting off a letter to the Excise Commissioner on June 4, Panda claimed that their efforts to  control hooch business in the district is hindered due to non-cooperation of the police. Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Panda shared that most of the illegal traders nabbed during surprise raids say that they bribe police personnel every month in respective areas for running their business.

Excise officials are covering the district with only 24 staff and two vehicles whereas police presence is considerably stronger in the area. “So if the cops don’t cooperate, excise offenders will have a free hand and we can’t do much. With limited staff, inadequate number of vehicles, low salary, no perks, respect from public or even acknowledgement of our achievements, it is very discouraging and disrespectful for an officer to work under such circumstances,” Panda said, adding that he has flagged all the concerns in the letter and urged the Commissioner  to take necessary steps in this regard.

Puri police, however, has dismissed the allegations. Reacting to the letter, superintendent of Puri excise Amarendra Jena said,”It seems the excise official concerned has mental health issues and had stopped taking medications for a while.”