20 bars flout excise norms, fined Rs 1 lakh each

Ramkrishan Upadhyay   

Tribune News Service   

Chandigarh, September 18   

In a major crackdown, the UT Excise and Taxation Department  has  imposed a penalty of  Rs 1 lakh each on 20  bars and restaurants for violation of rules  under the  excise policy.

While some of these were challaned for  serving liquor to underage  youth, a majority were fined for providing the “two plus  two” liquor offer. The offer was made through a food  delivery  app, Zomato.

Rakesh Kumar  Popli, Additional Excise  and Taxation  Commissioner-cum-Collector  under the Excise  Act,  imposed the fine on 11 bars which have been using the  app to  promote  liquor  sale.

Sources said the department got information that hotels  and bars had tied  up with the food  delivery app  for promotion. Members of the “gold” category were offered two pegs of liquor free with  two pegs on the  premises. Excise officers were sent to restaurants. After finding the practice  prevalent there, the bars  were  fined. Sources said under the excise policy, such offers were not allowed. Penalty was also imposed for tax evasion.

The hotels that were fined  included  Hotel Icon, Sector  8;  Pyramid,  Elante Mall;  Dastaan,  Sector   7;  The Timeliner  (Boulevard), Sector  26;   Xtreme Sports Bar and Grill, Sector 22-B;  The TOY Hotel, Sector 34;   MTV@FLYP, Sector 26;    Boom Box Café, Sector 9-D; Satva, Sector 26; Smaash, Elante Mall;  and  The Peddlers,  Elante Mall.

A hotel in Sector  22,  City Heart,  was fined Rs 1 lakh for serving liquor to persons below 25 years of age.  Seven vends  were fined for  selling liquor  without the hologram.

One vend was  fined for opening the  vend before  9 am against the rules.