Rip-off by liquor lobby in Punjab, rates inflated for resorts

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 22

A liquor bottle that should cost a consumer Rs 500 is being openly sold by liquor syndicates in Punjab for over Rs 900 for marriage and other functions allegedly in connivance with local excise and police officials.

Earning hefty profits, these syndicates reportedly operate in all major cities of the state, “charging exorbitantly for liquor” meant for bulk consumption at hotels, resorts and marriage palaces.

Modus operandi

• Syndicates in cahoots with police and excise officials hold illegal nakas
• Do not allow liquor to be served at a function if not bought from vend controlled by them
• These syndicates are active in Patiala, Bathinda, Amritsar, etc.

While senior excise officials have warned of strict action against erring officials and more raids to curb the syndicate menace, local excise officials in districts claim that “no such syndicate exists”. Information gathered by The Tribune reveals that these syndicates in connivance with police and excise officials raid marriage palaces, hold illegal nakas and “do not allow liquor to be served at any function” if it is “not bought from the nearest vend” controlled by them. Such syndicates are allegedly operating in Patiala, Bathinda, Amritsar, Khanna, Jalandhar, Ferozepur and Ludhiana.

As per the rates fixed by these syndicates for functions, Rs 1.9 lakh is reportedly charged for a case of Royal Salute; Rs 80,000 for brands like Glenfiddich, JW Platinum Label, Glenlivet (18 years); Rs 68,000 for Glenlivet (15 years); Rs 22,000 for Black Dog Century; Rs 20,000 for Ballentine; Rs 20,500 for Red Label; Rs 18,500 for 100 Pipers (8 years); Rs 17,500 for VAT 69; and Rs 11,500 for Blenders Pride, Rockford Reserve and Antiquity Blue. “Cases of these brands are available at 40 per cent lesser rates if you buy them off the shelf for personal consumption,” said excise department insiders.

However, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Patiala, Inderjeet Nagpal claimed: “No such syndicate exists. People can buy liquor from any vend nearest to the hotel or palace.” When asked why only the nearest vend, he said: “They can buy from other vends too. I have no information on any liquor syndicate”. Interestingly, a liquor syndicate office exists hardly a few hundred metres from the excise headquarters in Patiala.

“Despite the excise duty being the same across the state, these syndicates also do not allow liquor from other districts. Even if you have a permit for liquor, syndicate goons along with local cops raid functions and embarrass the host,” claims a marriage palace owner.

Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner, Taxation, A. Venu Prasad has warned of strict action against excise officials “promoting such syndicates”. “We will conduct raids ahead of the upcoming wedding season and ensure that consumers get liquor at fixed prices and are not fleeced by such syndicates, which are illegal,” he said.

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