Excise department raids liquor outlets charging high rates in Kothagudem

Kothagudem: Wine shop owners are allegedly selling liquor at exorbitant rates, violating the excise norms, over and above the prices fixed by the State government. However, several consumers alleged that the district officials who were supposed to keep tab on the wine shop owners were not initiating action against the erring retailers as they were understood to be in cohorts with the liquor lobby.

They alleged that due to the official inaction, traders are selling liquor at high rates. The State government has been implementing new excise policy for over 45 days now. Moreover, it recently hiked the liquor prices. Taking advantage of the situation, the liquor shop owners are reportedly selling old stock of liquor at new prices, according to informed sources in Excise Department. Last month, the Excise Enforcement officials raided on a wine shop in Sujata Nagar and caught the staff red-handed while selling liquor at high rates.

On Sunday, the excise enforcement officials raided on wine shops in Industrial Area, Super Bazar Centre and Silpinagar areas simultaneously on information that the wine shops were selling liquor at higher prices. On the directions of Deputy Commissioner Anjan Rao, Inspector Narvesh, sub-inspectors Lakshmi Narayana and Prakasam along with their staff raided on the shops selling liquor at higher prices.

The seized liquor shops should close their shops for about a week, pay a compounding fee of Rs 2 lakh and should only reopen their shops on the directions of the Excise Commissioner.a]