Haryana seizures net Rs 9 Crore worth of illegal liquor
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, April 27-
Haryana Chief Secretary T.V.S.N. Prasad has urged for more stringent measures to combat illegal liquor smuggling during the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha general elections. He emphasised the critical role of intensified intelligence gathering at the local level by Police Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Superintendents of Police (SPs), and officers from the Excise Department. This proactive approach aims to bolster legal actions against individuals engaged in such illicit activities.
He said this while presiding over the meeting to review preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gurugram today. Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and Commissioners of police officers from Gurugram, Panchkula, Sonipat, and Jhajjar, along with representatives from the Police and Excise and Taxation departments, attended the meeting. Some officers participated via video conference as well.
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Sh. Anurag Agarwal, and ADGP, CID Sh. Alok Mittal, Principal Secretary, Excise Department, Sh. Devinder Kalyan also attended the meeting through video conference.
During the meeting, Sh. Prasad enquired about the status of illegal liquor seized district-wise. He directed senior officers to establish coordination with neighbouring states to trace the origin of seized liquor. Additionally, he emphasised the need for heightened vigilance, especially in districts bordering Delhi and other states.
Referring to data, Sh. Prasad highlighted the seizure of 2,78,819 litres of illicit liquor worth Rs 9 crore within Haryana thus far. He concluded by stressing the necessity of maintaining the effectiveness of these strict measures until the upcoming assembly election. He emphasised that the strict measures taken now will remain effective until the upcoming assembly elections.
The Chief Secretary directed all officers to expand their networks and take decisive action against those involved in such illicit activities. He emphasised the importance of strengthening intelligence networks and investigating past cases, relying on the inputs provided by the CID. Additionally, he commended the suggestion made by Gurugram Divisional Commissioner, Sh. R.C Bidhan to increase surprise inspections on alternative routes rather than main thoroughfares. During the meeting, Gurugram, DC, Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav briefed the Chief Secretary on the district's progress, highlighting the establishment of 47 checkpoints in Gurugram and the seizure of 14.8 thousand litres of illicit liquor thus far. Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Gurugram, Sh.Akhilesh Yadav, and other senior officers attended the meeting.