DUSHYANT, VIJ INVOLVED IN LIQUOR SMUGGLING: ABHAY

CHANDIGARH: INLD general secretary and Ellenabad MLA Abhay Singh Chautala on Saturday alleged that Haryana excise minister Dushyant Chautala and home minister Anil Vij were involved in the alleged liquor smuggling in the state.

In a statement, Chautala alleged that those in power had sold 1.10 crore liquor bottles from distilleries at high rates during the Covid-19 lockdown. “The SET had mentioned in its report that liquor had gone missing during the lockdown period. Only Fatehabad district excise and taxation commissioner has submitted information regarding missing liquor with the Special Enquiry Team while other districts asked the SET to get details about liquor missing from the excise department,” Chautala said.

Hitting out at his nephew Dushyant Chautala, Abhay said he had given a clean chit to excise and taxation commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi against whom home minister Anil Vij recommended action on the basis of report compiled by the SET. “The excise minister has directly challenged chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar over SET report. I urge the CM to take strong action against Vij and Dushyant. If he fails, then the CM too involved in the business of illegal liquor smuggling,” he said.

hampered their visit to a distillery, Chautala on Friday defended the move saying since no officer was allowed to visit a distillery as per the Punjab Excise Act, such a demand could not be considered. Excise law experts however said that there was nothing in the Act to prevent visit of officials to a distillery. Former Haryana advocate general, Mohan Jain said that clause 12 of the Punjab distillery rules allowed Financial Commissioner or Collector or any officer authorized by them to inspect and examine a licensed distillery, its premises and warehouses connected therewith. Jain, an excise law expert said distilleries are mandated to render all assistance to officers in making inspection.