Days after action against 10 liquor vends, officer shifted

Chandigarh, January 27

An IAS officer of the UT Administration, Rupesh Kumar, Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner, has to face repercussions for his bold move against liquor vends in the city.

On January 19, Rupesh had ordered the suspension of licences of 10 liquor vends, citing violations of the Excise Policy 2023-24, leading to their subsequent sealing. However, on January 24, UT Adviser-cum-Home Secretary Nitin Kumar Yadav relieved him of his position as Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner, replacing him with Pradhuman Singh.

When contacted, Rupesh said it was a routine transfer.

Recent inspections by the Excise Department uncovered various liquor brands at these vends without valid permits and holograms. After penalties were paid by the vend owners, the stocks seized by the team were released and the vends unsealed on January 23.

Known for stringent actions, Rupesh, a 2019 batch AGMUT cadre officer, who is visually impaired, had previously addressed issues of unhygienic conditions in the vegetable market in Sector 26.

The officer had sought an explanation from Sanyam Garg, Administrator of the Market Committee, in August last year over the unhygienic conditions at the vegetable market in Sector 26. In the notice served on Garg, Rupesh had expressed concern over the poor sanitation and lack of satisfactory anti-encroachment action in the mandi area.