Congress worker alleges corruption in issuing bar licences

Mandya: A complaint with the Lokayukta was lodged by an alleged Congress worker accusing senior officials in the Excise Department of demanding hefty bribes for issuing bar licenses.

The allegations implicate the Deputy Commissioner of Excise, an inspector, and a caseworker in a scheme where licenses are reportedly granted only after substantial payments, regardless of the validity of submitted documents.

Puneeth, the alleged Congress worker, filed the complaint against Excise Deputy Commissioner Ravishankar and Maddur Excise Inspector Shivashankar.

He claims to have submitted audio and video evidence substantiating his accusations, including recordings of bribe demands made in connection with his application for a CL-7 bar license. Puneeth had applied online for the license to operate a bar and restaurant in Maddur taluk under his mother’s name, Lakshmamma.

In his complaint, Puneeth alleges that his application was rejected four times due to his refusal to pay bribes, with demands allegedly ranging from Rs. 40 lakh initially to Rs. 20 lakh as a “discounted” amount.

According to Puneeth, the Deputy Commissioner even suggested he become a partner in the business if the bribe could not be paid.

Adding to the intrigue, Puneeth reported that a history-sheeter known as “Wilson Garden Naga” was mentioned during the negotiations.

He claims that an Excise range inspector unofficially met him, transported him to Channapatna, and discussed the payment required to expedite his application.

The complaint also alleges that the government’s e-services portal for bar license applications is disregarded, with manual interference by officials hindering its functionality. Initial reports suggest that Puneeth approached the Lokayukta and since then, his long-pending application suddenly began progressing.

Audio recordings purportedly capturing the

bribe demands have been allegedly submitted to the Lokayukta as part of the

evidence. The Lokayukta is now investigating the allegations, which have sparked outrage over systemic corruption within the Excise Department.