New Delhi: A total of 725 First Information Reports (FIRs) and 730 arrests have been recorded in connection with illegal liquor in Delhi between April and August this year, as the government works on a new excise policy, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday.
The Excise Department seized 197 vehicles and recovered around 220,000 bottles of illegal liquor during the five-month period, officials said. The enforcement action marks a two-fold increase from the corresponding period last year, when 315 FIRs were registered, 312 people arrested, 112 vehicles seized and around 100,000 bottles recovered.
Delhi currently has over 700 liquor vends operated by four government agencies — the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and Delhi Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Store. Earlier reporting noted: 730 persons arrested in Delhi in last five months for smuggling illicit liquor New Delhi, In a move to crack the illicit liquor smuggling network, the Excise Department of the Delhi government has arrested 730 persons and registered 725 FIRs in the last five months. Earlier reporting noted: The raids by the department’s enforcement teams also led to recoveries of 2.20 lakh bottles of illegal liquor and seizure of 197 vehicles during the period, a CMO statement said on Sunday.
Enforcement will be intensified further ahead of the festive season, officials said, adding that the government also plans to ensure adequate availability of legally supplied liquor through retail outlets run by government corporations and on-premises establishments such as hotels, clubs and restaurants. Chief minister Gupta said the Delhi government is following a zero-tolerance policy towards the illegal liquor trade. “The government is also working on a new excise policy aimed at strengthening public safety, ensuring responsible regulation of the liquor trade, maintaining quality and increasing government revenue,” she said. She said the government’s priority was to ensure adequate availability of legal liquor during festivals so residents do not face any inconvenience, while also effectively curbing the sale and smuggling of illegal liquor. Earlier reporting noted: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who also holds the excise portfolio, said that the government is working on a new excise policy focused on public safety, quality and revenue growth.
