SEIZED ETHANOL WORTH CRORES, COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO ILLICITLY PRODUCE LAKHS OF LITRES OF LIQUOR OR SANITIZER
‘AAP’ GOVT’S ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY YIELDS RESULTS: 1,70,000 LITRES OF ENA/ETHANOL SEIZED SO FAR
Chandigarh, May 30
Announcing a significant breakthrough in the ‘AAP’ led Punjab Government’s efforts to curb the illicit liquor trade, Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday said that a joint operation conducted by the Special Operation Group (Excise) and Excise Police on Thursday late evening led to the seizure of 80,000 litres of ethanol in the Bathinda region. He said that the ‘AAP’ Government’s zero-tolerance policy against illicit liquor trade has yielded significant results, with a total of 1,70,000 litres of ENA/Ethanol seized so far.
Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema detailed the intelligence-driven operation that led to the bust. He said that acting on a credible information regarding a gang engaged in unlawful ethanol/spirit pilferage and storage, specialized teams conducted reconnaissance before launching a meticulously planned raid. The operation culminated at Navraj Dhaba in Bathinda, where the gang was caught red-handed transporting ethanol/spirit in two Gujrat registered tankers (Reg. Nos. GJ06BV4926 and GJ06BV7626), each loaded with 40,000 litres.
The Finance Minister said that the seized ethanol, originally loaded from VRV Hospitality Pvt Ltd in Chak Alia, Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, was en route to IOCL Bathinda. He added that it is suspected that the consignment was meant for clandestine transportation to dry states, where liquor production and sale are prohibited, for illicit use. “If not seized, it could have been illicitly used to produce many other products including approximately 3,72,000 bottles of 50-degree PML, 2,47,000 bottles of 70-degree IMFL, or 1.04 lakh litres of sanitizers”, said Cheema while revealing the far-reaching consequences of such illegal activities.
Providing further details, the Finance Minister informed that a total of eight individuals were apprehended at the scene. Additionally, two vehicles suspected to be involved in the illegal operation, a Toyota Etios with registration number PB03AY5567 and an Innova with registration number HR26CY2961, were also seized. He said that the legal proceedings have been initiated, and a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Sadar Police Station, Bathinda, under relevant legal acts that include provisions for life imprisonment for the convicted.
Finance Minister Cheema assured that a comprehensive investigation is currently underway to trace the entire network associated with this illegal operation, including both forward and backward linkages. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring strict legal action against all individuals involved, regardless of their influence or position.
Commending the Special Operation Group (Excise) and Excise Police for their successful operation, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated the Punjab government’s determination to eradicate the illicit liquor trade. “The Excise Department is working tirelessly to dismantle these illicit networks and prevent the misuse of ethanol for illegal purposes,” said the Finance Minister while adding, “We are determined to break the backbone of the illicit liquor trade in Punjab.”
