Show-cause notice served on distillery in Chandigarh, illegal liquor seized

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

The Excise and Taxation Department has issued a show-cause notice to M/s NV Distilleries and Breweries, Industrial Area, Phase 1.

A team of the Excise Department today conducted an inspection of the company and found 65 boxes of 180-ml ‘Crazy Romeo’ brand without holograms.

A team of the Crime Branch of the police had yesterday seized 440 boxes of illegal liquor containing 21,120 quarters of whisky of ‘Crazy Romeo’ brand manufactured by the company loaded in a milk tanker. After getting a tip-off, the police laid a naka near the Poultry Farm chowk and stopped the vehicle. During checking, the police found 440 boxes of illegal liquor. Tanker driver, Gaurav Khatri (36), a resident of Phase V, Mohali, disclosed that the liquor was being supplied to Gujarat.

The bootleggers had written ‘milk not for sale’ on the vehicle to avoid any suspicion.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the Excise and Taxation Department today issued a show-cause notice to the owner of the distillery as to why the licence should not be cancelled or suspended for violations of Section 18 of the Punjab Excise Act.