-SATISH HANDA

Inspite of lock down declared by the government illegal sale and smuggling of liquor was on hike in Haryana state. Sensational news of thefts of thousands of liquor cases kept by police in godown at Kharkhoda in Sonepat district seized by police during various raids while smuggling hit nwspapers head lines since past days is likely to reveal the truth due to stern action Taken by Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij constituted a committee to investigate the case in which several high profile political as well as government officers are likely to be trapped in net. The king pin involved in this case Bhupinder surrendered at Kharkhoda police station on last Saturday late evening after police teams from three states Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab conducted raid at Chandigarh Sector 50 residence of Bhupinder in whose sealed godows huge stocks of liquor nearly 11000 cases were found missing in spite of police guards on duty. at his residence. Bhupinder on a information managed to slip before arrival of police and during search police recovered Rs 97000 currency notes, two pistols, three mobile phones and a Range Rover car.  However, Bhupinder surrendered before Kharkhoda police station on Saturday late evening.

State Home Minister Anil Vij suggested the matter to be investigated by the government causing huge revenue loss to government by a committee comprising of a senior IAS officer T.C. Gupta, a police officer of IPS rank and a senior officer of excise department to reveal truth.with the help of messages and footage in three mobile phone seized at the residence of arrested Bhupinder during police raid. Bhupinder during interrogation named then SHO  Kharkhoda police station Jasvinder Singh also involved in thefts as well as smuggling liquor from godown and further supplied in other states due to acute shortage of liquor in lock down period and his brother Jitender yet absconding was also involved in smuggling. Police has already registered cases against 11 police personnel including two SHOs so far.

Bhupinder presently admitted at PGI Rohtak due to severe pain in his chest during police remand admitted that he was procuring liquor from a Rajpura (Punjab) based distillery without paying excise duty at keeping stocks at his four godowns including one at rajpura and three in Panipat district and he used to carry illicit stocks hidden under onion stocks since he was having good relations with police checking staff at the border while shifting at Kharkhoda godown where the cheaper quality wine brought from Rajpura distillery was trasferred in superior quality costly brand wine bottles with fresh labels under the supervision of his brother Jitender and stocks were smuggled to Delhi and several other states with the help of Jasbir SHO sold at much higher rates. Meanwhie, police onducted several raids for the arrest of Jitender and Jasbir at Delhi, Kundli, Rohtak and Jind. According to information, entire staff of Kharkhoda police station has been transferred. Vij said that investigation team will submit detailed report by May 31, 2020 and there is possibility of few more high pofile faces likely to be exposed in this case.

Meanwhile, in another Samalkha liquor scam CIA Staff Panipat police arrested Satvinder Rana a former two times Congress MLA from Rajound as well as a senior Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader lost last Vidhan sabha polls from whose godown huge quantity of liquor cases were missing. Satvinder was arrested by the police outside the house of a senior political leader a couple of days ago as well as his partner Ishawar Singh presently under 14 days judicial remand allegedly smuggling liquor was also arrested. Satvinder Rana was remanded to police custody for two days by Gaytari Devi Senior Divisional Judgicial Magistrate Panipat and further remanded to judicial custody in jail for 14 day judgicial remand and told media persons that he was falsely involved in case due to political rivalry. Information also reveals that Bhupinder presently undergoing treatment at PGI Rohtak had good contacts with senior bureauctas and political leaders used to visit Haryana civil secretraite quite often seen sitting with them.

Information further reveals, large number of influencial persons are likely to be trapped in police net in SET investigation to submit the report by May 31 this year. Information also reveals that state excise department alleged misusing powers issued as many as 436 permits which included 65 in Jind district, 57 in Rohtak district,  50 in Rewari district,  47 in Bhiwani district, 41 in Faridabad district, 25 in Kaithal istrict, 24 in Jhajjer district, 22 in Gurugram East & West district, 20 each in Karnal and Sirsa districts, 14 in Sonepat district,  13 in Kurukshetra district, 9 in Panipat district, 7 each in Jagadhari and Narnaul district, 6 each in Hisar and Mewat district and 3 in Ambala district in a day on March 26, 2020 four days after Janta Curfew was declared in Haryana state. fou as a result illegal sale from back doors started in the state during lock down period.  As many as 471 applications were received by the government, of them 436 permits were issued in 24 hours, 11 applications were rejected and 24 applications kept pending.

 Although, entire trade and industry in Haryana state was facing heat due to lock down but sale as well as smuggling of liquor and drugs in the state witnessed unlock and according to information 792 kg intoxicated drugs, more than 73000 bottles illicit liquor and more than 37000 litre ‘lahan’ to produce ‘Desi’ liquor were illegally sold not only in Haryana state  but also in adjoining states during lock down period in which 840 persons were arrested. According to Manoj Yadav, DGP Haryana, as many as 46 cases  under NDPS Act

and nearly 700  cases under Excise Act were registered by the police in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal and Panipat districts during lock down period.