Supreme Court pulls up Punjab: Treating illicit liquor issue with 'kid gloves'

New Delhi, November 21

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Expressing dissatisfaction over the progress in the probe into illicit liquor trade cases in Punjab, the Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the state for treating the issue with “kid gloves.”

No efforts to reach real culprits

It appears no serious efforts have been made to reach the real culprits who are in the business of manufacturing and transporting illegal liquor…You are treating it with kid gloves. Bench

A Bench led by Justice MR Shah, directing the Punjab Excise Department to inform it of the particulars of certain FIRs lodged in the state, observed: “In a hooch tragedy, who is the sufferer? Not those who can afford whiskey. Common people and the downtrodden are the sufferers…Take this very seriously.” The observations came during the hearing of a petition against a September 2020 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court disposing of a petition seeking transfer of some FIRs registered in Punjab with regard to the alleged sale and inter-state smuggling of spurious liquor to the CBI.

The HC had disposed of the petition after the state assured that concerns raised by the petitioners would be duly addressed and suitable action taken, if necessary. However, the top court wasn’t satisfied. “It appears that no serious efforts have been made to reach the real culprits who are in the business of manufacturing and transporting illegal liquor…You are treating it with kid gloves,” the Bench said. Seeking an affidavit with details of the distilleries whose licences had been cancelled or penalties levied and the particulars of allegations made in these FIRs, the top court posted the matter for further hearing on December 5.

On behalf of the petitioners, advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted Excise Department’s affidavit revealed that action had been taken against certain distilleries but only petty labourers in such factories had been chargesheeted and no politician or police official had been prosecuted.

Noting that a status report has been filed with regard to 13 FIRs, the apex court Bench said, “As such, we are not at all satisfied with the progress in the investigation…”