SATISH HANDA
Talking to media persons, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter said, SET constituted by Haryana state government has already submitted 1400 paged weighing more than 20 kg investigation report in which over a crore bottles of illicit liquor of value worth rupees crores were stolen, illegally sold, smuggled to other states during lock down period to home minister Anil Vij on July 31, 2020 who after thorough observations accused both police and excise department officers responsible for such a big scam in the state adversely affected reputation of Haryana due to officials of the department including names of Pritiksha Godara an IPS officer then SP at Sonepat and Shekhar Vidyarthi an IAS officer posted as Excise Commissioner in the state recommending action against both and to hold further vigilance investigation in the case if required. Vij forwarded the case to Chief Minister with his observations for further action.
Surprisingly, SP had deputed two police guards for the security of prime accuse in the case also a liquor mafia undergoing five criminal cases against him presently locked in jail, besides issued him arms license unethically. Meanwhile, Dushyant Chautala Deputy Chief Minister expressed dis-satisfaction over the report accusing police responsible for lapses in handling smuggling cases and failure to arrest prime smugglers and at the same time given clean chit to Shekhar Vidyarthi excise department commissioner and other excise department officers, giving rise to a rift between Anil Vij Home Minister and Dushyant Chautala Deputy Chief Minister However, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter feeling unhappy over undesired politics in the issue while talking to media straightway rejected Chautala’s opinion saying that governments run on systems not on the decision of an individual as such action will be taken according to SET report submitted by senior officials in the state. Khatter said all those involved in irregularities in liquor scam would be punished and FIRs registered against them.
Meanwhile, HPCC president Kumari Shelja and INLD former leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha Abhay Singh Chautala criticising ruling alliance government said that Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister blaming each others department is merely an eye wash and drama to save government officials as well as liquor mafias involved in smuggling liquor from Punjab and further smuggling to other states when all borders were completely sealed during lock down period. They said, its first time in the history of Haryana state blame game politics between senior ministers in the state is going on whereas criminals sheltered by political leaders and bureaucrats are moving in open fearlessly. Political leaders in opposition demanded a thorough investigation by a sitting High Court judge to bring truth. J.P. Dalal Agriculture Minister told media persons that like Registry Scam in which ruling government has immediately suspended several revenue officers and registered FIRs against them now likely to take action against many more shortly, our chief minister will not spare any one responsible for irregularities in present liquor scam also which should not be called a scam because ruling government is not hiding but going to take action against culprits involved in fraud, most of them have already been arrested.
