NCB seals 66 liquor vends in Ludhiana, drug lord Akshay Chhabra had 25% stake in them

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Ludhiana, Jan 20

As many as 66 liquor vends, in which drug lord Akshay Chhabra had a stake, have been shut down in Ludhiana by the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Excise officials kept out of loop

• State Excise officials in either Ludhiana or the HQ at Chandigarh, were not taken into confidence before the NCB action.
• NCB officials pasted “freezing orders” on the shutters of these vends on Thursday

Chhabra was arrested by the NCB last year on the charges of operating an international drug cartel from Ludhiana.

The money he made in the illicit drug manufacturing and trade was being routed to many businesses, primary among them being the liquor business.

He was a 25 per cent partner in AS and Company, which won the bid for leasing out the liquor vends in Ludhiana district.

He had share in three groups — Fortis Group, Dholewal Group and Gill Chowk Group.

When the NCB officials went to seal these vends this morning, all were lying shut. They pasted “freezing orders” on the shutters of these vends, stating the reasons for sealing them off.

Huge stocks of liquor are believed to be lying inside these vends.

Interestingly, state Excise officials in either Ludhiana or the headquarters at Chandigarh, were not taken into confidence before the NCB action.

Earlier, the NCB had sought details of the investments made by Chhabra from the state Excise Department.

The details were provided by the department, following which the NCB wanted the department to return the money invested by Chhabra, stating it was the “proceeds of crime”.

The department had expressed its helplessness, saying the money was already deposited in the state treasury.

The total revenue promised by AS and Company, where Chhabra was a partner, was Rs 74 crore for the ongoing fiscal.

“The liquor vends were allotted to them in June 2022, and company had deposited Rs 3.50 crore in cash as initial payment. They have not defaulted in making their monthly payment of licence fee,” said a senior officer.

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