Punjab CM orders police to crack down on liquor smuggling, bootlegging, illicit distillation
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 16
Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Saturday, directed the Police Department to crack down on all kinds of liquor smuggling, bootlegging and illicit distillation of liquor to protect the cash-strapped state from incurring any revenue losses due to such activities.
Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered an immediate action against the DSPs of Sub-Divisions and the SHOs in whose areas such activity is seen taking place, and strict proceedings against any government officer/official found negligent or supporting any illegal activity, in any manner, relating to distillation/smuggling/distribution of liquor etc.
On the directives of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, DGP Dinkar Gupta has issued the necessary directives to all CPs and SSPs in the state to identify liquor smugglers/suppliers/bootleggers, district-wise and police station-wise, by May 23.
The officers have also been asked to take all possible legal action against all such persons, including under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management and Epidemics Act.
The DGP said Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had made it clear that due to acute economic and financial stress all over India, arising out of the curfew/lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, the state government needed to mobilise all possible revenue.
Thus, the state cannot afford any revenue loss on account of smuggling of liquor from outside the state, or on the account of the illicit distillation of liquor or bootlegging, the DGP added.
In pursuance of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s orders, the CPs and the SSPs have been asked to put the SHOs of all police stations, especially the bordering police stations, on notice, and direct them to ensure that no smuggling of liquor into Punjab takes place.
The DGP also warned that in case of failure to do so, the concerned SHO would be shifted out and necessary departmental action would be taken against him as well as the defaulters.
Any government officer/official found supporting any illegal activity relating to distillation/smuggling/distribution of liquor etc would be proceeded against very strongly, as directed by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the DGP added.
The DGP has directed the CPs and the SSPs to have a video-conferencing meeting with the DSPs of Sub-divisions and the SHOs to make it absolutely clear that if any illegal liquor factory was found operational in his area of jurisdiction, as in Khanna and Rajpura recently, he would be liable to be shifted out and legal/departmental action initiated against him. He would also become ineligible for the post of SHO and public dealing postings in the future, he added.
All CPs and the SSPs have further been asked to monitor inter-state smuggling of liquor on a daily basis. All CPs and the IGP/DIG Ranges would send a monthly report, along with a DO letter, on the achievements of the districts falling in their jurisdiction in this regard, to ADGP Law & Order by the fifth of every month, without fail, said the DGP.
All CPs and the SSPs had also been directed to remain in touch with the Excise Department officers as well as the contractors for feedback, and to ensure sustained and focused efforts against drug smugglers/suppliers/distillers etc. Any failure in this regard would be viewed very seriously, warned the DGP.
