Akali liquor barons in dock over excise Act violations

Thursday, 18/08/2016

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/akali-liquor-barons-in-dock-over-excise-act-violations/281798.html

Patiala : The Excise Department has recommended action against firms owned by Akali leaders Deep Malhotra and Shiv Lal Doda for alleged discrepancies in liquor stocks to evade tax.

The department has sealed over 12 liquor vends owned by former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Deep Malhotra’s firm and slapped Rs3 lakh fine for discrepancies in stock. The department has recommended the registration of a case against Doda’s wife Sunita Doda after over 40,000 liquor boxes were found missing.

Documents available with The Tribune confirmed that Vijeta Breweries in Muktsar, a group backed by Faridkot MLA Deep Malhotra, was found flouting Punjab excise rules on at least four counts.

“During a checking of the firm’s premises in Muktsar, the records were not made available to the excise officials, the inspection note book was not presented, more liquor was sold than allowed and Punjab medium liquor was sold at low rates,” reads the inspection document.

“The owners were given a chance for a hearing on August 16, following which their representative accepted the folly and pleaded for a softer punishment,” it says.

Besides slapping a fine on Vijeta Breweries, the firm has been told to remain shut from August 16-22.

In the second case, the department has recommended an FIR against Sunita Doda, wife of controversial SAD leader Shiv Lal Doda, an accused in the brutal killing of a Dalit in Ahohar.

In a letter to the Fazilka SSP on August 12, the excise officials have claimed that SD Wines, owned by Sunita, had stocked 40,821 cartons of IMFL and 347 of beer, which were sealed by department on March 31, 2016, as the firm had not renewed its licence. “On July 28, the stock worth Rs7.5 crore was found missing. Action should be taken against the violator,” reads the letter.

Punjab Excise and Taxation Commissioner Rajat Agarwal confirmed that action against both firms was recommended by the field staff. “For fair competition in the state, the department will ensure that anyone flouting norms is punished,” Agarwal said, adding that Doda’s firm had applied for a hearing. Both Doda and Malhotra could not be contacted.