Amritsar liquor tragedy: Bootleggers stepped in after liquor vends closed in area

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said he would uncover the nexus between politicians, police and bureaucrats, without whose patronage the illicit liquor racket could not have run.

The remark was probably based on initial reports received by the state government about a “price war” between two groups of liquor contractors in Amritsar’s Majitha.

According to sources, one of the groups was selling liquor on minimum retail price while the other, which operated greater number of vends and allegedly enjoyed political patronage, charged higher rates.

The reason behind it was that though the government fixes the floor price of liquor as per the state excise policy, there is no ceiling on the higher price.

A source said the group that was operating less number of vends closed some of its shops last week, which gave bootleggers and those indulging in spurious liquor trade an opportunity to make money.

Meanwhile, the state government shot off letters to excise and police officials across the state, asking them to immediately prepare a list of those previously involved in illicit liquor trade.

Initial investigations have revealed that the methanol used in the liquor consumed by the victims in Majitha was procured by the accused through an e- commerce portal.

The state Excise Department had already checked the GST details of the sale after which a truck transporting methanol from Delhi to Amritsar was seized in Patiala’s Banur this evening.

The involvement of a Ludhiana-based firm in helping the accused procure methanol was also being investigated, said a senior officer.

Last year, a spurious liquor tragedy had struck Sangrur, leading to the death of 20 persons. The victims had died after drinking methanol-laced liquor. The methanol used in the manufacturing was purchased online.

Punjab Excise and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema told The Tribune that last year he had written to the Union Commerce Ministry, asking them to have a legal mechanism in place for online selling of methanol.

“But we have not received any response. The Centre has to frame the rules for online sales,” he said.

Politician-bootlegger nexus

Earlier this year, retired Enforcement Directorate officer Niranjan Singh had written to the Union Finance Minister, saying the investigation into the 2020 Amritsar-Tarn Taran illicit liquor tragedy, where 123 people had died, indicated the involvement of 10 sitting MLAs and a minister in the illicit liquor business.