19 liquor shops face action for overcharging

LUCKNOW:The excise department initiated action against liquor shops selling above the listed price, while also launching a drive against the manufacture and sale of illegal liquor. In the last couple of days, 127 cases have been registered and 2,359 litres of illicit liquor seized from across the state, excise department officials said. Four arrests have also been made in this connection, they added.

The licence of one country liquor shop was suspended in Kanpur during a special enforcement drive carried out by the excise department. “To check illegal liquor trade in the state, the enforcement wing has been directed to carry out a sustained campaign against manufacture, sale, transport and smuggling of illegal liquor,” said excise commissioner P Guruprasad,.

The excise department has also stepped up raids to check instances of overpricing of liquor. Since April 4, when liquor shops opened, 19 liquor licensees have been caught overcharging customers, officials said.

The state government has hiked liquor prices but the revised prices have still not been effected. “We have been told to keep selling at old rates till fresh orders. May be they are going to send fresh stock with revised rates printed on bottles,” a liquor vendor said. “As per instructions from principal secretary (excise) Sanjay R Bhoosreddy, we have detected 19 cases of overrating and suitable action has been initiated,” Guruprasad said. “None can charge more than the rate printed on the bottle. The penalty for overcharging varies. For a first offence, the licensee will be levied a penalty of Rs 75,000; a second offence would mean penalty of Rs 1,50,000, and a third offence would mean cancellation of the liquor licence,” officials said.