Now, Chadha bahu major player in liquor trade

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 31

Liquor contractor Jasdeep Kaur Chadha alias Deepa Chadha, who branched out on her own after the shootout in which her husband Hardeep Singh Chadha and brother-in-law, liquor baron Ponty Chadha, were killed in 2012, has managed to bag contracts for operating almost all liquor licensing units in Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala. She has also managed to get a foothold in many districts of Malwa.

The owner of Adie Broswon group has made her presence felt in the high-stakes, politically important liquor business in the state, at a time when the politician-operated liquor lobby is trying hard to ‘arm-twist’ the Congress government to tweak the excise policy to serve their interests. Deepa is the daughter of former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harwinder Singh Sarna. Sarna and his brother Paramjit Singh Sarna have close ties with CM Capt Amarinder Singh.

Sources say that she had been eyeing the business ever since she took control of the Adie Broswon group after her husband’s death. Adie Browson has an annual turnover of Rs 600 crore which has a 6,500 tonne capacity sugar factory, a 6-million-case brewery (India’s total beer capacity is 270 million cases) and a distillery.

She supplies beer to SABMiller and has launched her own brand - Rockberg. With the entire politician liquor contractor lobby unwilling to participate in the auction of vends that began last week she has made a grand entry in the trade.

Her brother-in-law, Raju Chadha, who had a major stake in the liquor business till last year has not participated in the auction so far.

The liquor business per se in the state is witnessing its worst ever phase. Only 70 per cent of the 5,900 vends that the government proposed to allot for 2017-18 have been allotted while the liquor contractors have not participated in the allotment of vends in Ludhiana, Patiala, Barnala, Sangrur, Moga and Bathinda and only few vends have been allotted in Faridkot.

Excise officials said although another chance will be given for the allotment of vends, it is possible that instead of allotting vends in groups they might be allotted collectively.

Since Ludhiana generates the maximum business, Rs 700 crore per annum) the collective tender for all vends in the urban area of Ludhiana could be done soon. The only danger in doing so is that it could lead to monopolisation.

Distress sale at Doda’s liquor outlets

Abohar: Liquor baron and SAD ex-halqa incharge Shiv Lal Doda, who controlled the liquor empire in Fazilka district for around 15 years, did not participate in the liquor vend auction for 2017-18. Since Jaideep Singh Mann of Fazilka will take over the business from Saturday, distress sale of liquor was noticed at most shops licensed to the Doda family and other stakeholders on the last day of the financial year on Friday. OC

No show at vend auction in Muktsar

Muktsar: The auction of liquor vends in Muktsar district was postponed on Friday as the only applicant for a particular group did not turn up. HPS Ghotra, observer appointed for the auction of liquor vends, said, “The auction has been postponed after Bhupinder Kumar, who was the lone applicant for Bariwala group, failed to turn up. His application fee of Rs 75,000 has been forfeited.” Asked whether the existing vends will remain open even after the end of this financial year, he said, “The decision will be taken by department officials concerned after consulting their higher-ups.” tns

In Moga, too, excise officials wait in vain 

Moga: No one turned up to obtain licence at the draw of lots for 272 liquor vends of Moga district for 2017-2018, on Friday. Joginder Kumar, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC), said he along with other officials of the department waited for contractors throughout the day, but in vain. The government had reduced the total number of liquor vends from 293 to 272 for the next fiscal. Most of the liquor vends situated on the highways will be closed from April 1 as per the order of the apex court. tns

Poor response in Fatehgarh Sahib

Fatehgarh Sahib: The Excise and Taxation Department postponed the auction of liquor vends for the second time on Friday due to poor response from contractors in the district. As a result, all liquor vends selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) as well as country-made liquor will remain closed till further notice. Sources in the Excise and Taxation Department said the authorities had now decided to approach the higher authorities in Chandigarh with a proposal to invite tenders for allotting the liquor vends. TNS