-SATISH HANDA

5500 cases illicit wine out of the stocks seized by the police while liquor smuggling in 14 raids during lock down and cases under trial in the courts lying at police godown (Maal-khana) at Kharkhoda Bye-pass were found missing  when police was investigating a case of smuggling of 1400 cases wine at Sonepat being smuggled to other states by a liquor mafia a couple of days ago. Police registered a case against a racket of four persons comprising of Bhupinder Singh king pin, his brotherJitender Singh and two others Sandeep and Satish having large number of liquor smuggling cases against them under trial in the courts.

Jashandeep Singh SP Sonepat told media persons that a case has been registered against five police personnel including two SHOs posted at Kharkhoda police station Arun Kumar and Jasbir Singh both suspended. Meanwhile, Home Minister Anil Vij constituted a three members committee comprising of a senior  IAS officer, a police officer of rank ADGP and a senior officer from excise & taxation department to investigate the matter and submit report within 20 days.and the case was handed over to STI led by a senior IPS office.

Information reveals that liquor stocks seized by the police in different raids was kept by police in their godown (Maal-khana) situated in the complex of liquor smuggling racket  led by Bhupinder Singh and the premises was in the name of his mother taken on lease from Haryana Wakf Boad. Out of total stocks of wine, as many as 5500 cases were found missing.during lock down period, SP Randhawa told  that locks of sealed police godown were found broken and window grill missing suspecting that 5500 wine cases were either sold or smuggled to other places during 41 days lock down period. According to state police department information, several cases of theft of liquor has been reported in the state at Rohtak, Panipat and Fatehabad during lock down period, which include 700 liquor bottles stolen at gun point at Ratia in Fatehabad district, 3926 cases stolen at Panipat, and huge stocks of wine stolen from liquor vends at Tohana, Bhattu, Rohtak, and Ismailabad in Kurukshetra district in this period.

Information reveals that long queues were seen outside the liquor shops in Haryana state on May 6, 2020 when liquor sale was permitted in the state. Since, sale of liquor has not been permitted in Punjab so far among buyers at liquor shops near Haryana-Punjab borders were having maximum number of buyers from Punjab waiting outside the liquor shops hours prior to opening the shops. Information reveals, liquor contractors having old stocks soldl wine  at double rate. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Haryana Manohar Lal Khatter and Dushyant Chautala Dy CM has taken a serious view of increasing cases of liquor smuggling to other states from Haryana and had a video conference with DCs and SPs on all districts directing to take stern action against liquor smugglers and keep an eye over dispatches from distilleries to contractors in the state. He said, flowmeter should be installed in every distillery  with immediate effect.