Locked down boozers fleeced in Telangana

Hyderabad: Lockdown blues are haunting the tipplers. Beer costs Rs 800 and whisky is available for Rs 4,000 per a 750 ML bottle which is almost 7 times the MRP (maximum retail price) during the total lockdown period in Telangana.

The closure of all liquor shops and bars and restaurants across the state since the enforcement of total lockdown on March 22 left the alcoholics in dry for some time until the liquor traders found different ways to sell liquor through backdoor in the last one week.

The traders have created WhatsApp groups exclusively for liquor lovers at local level and serving at an exorbitant prices to them at their doorsteps.

In some areas, it is learnt that the liquor suppliers colluded with local police are supplying liquor to the needy and in some cases, they were seeking the support of officials of the Excise and Prohibition department.

Liquor traders on a condition of anonymity told The Hans India that they purchased required liquor stocks for a month time before the lockdown was imposed.

After the shutdown of the shops, they are now selling the stocks which are piled up in godowns. The modus operandi is liquor will be supplied to those who quote higher prices in the WhatsApp group first.

"Currently, high quality beer costs Rs 700 to Rs 800 and premium brand whisky will fetch around Rs 6000. Non-premium brands are priced at Rs 4,000 per bottle. Normally, beer is available at Rs 150 to Rs 180 and the MRP of whisky is Rs 1000 to Rs 1500.

In some cases, workers in liquor shops get the orders through phone from regular customers and supply the bottles at their homes. The question is how the police was allowing the movement of such people during the lockdown. Apparently, there appears to be some slip somewhere.

With the sale of liquor through the backdoor, traders said that some premium brands are already out of stock. They wanted to sell all stocks from the godowns before the lockdown is lifted as they pumped lakhs of rupees into the trade.

"If they stop selling liquor for a month, they will lose entire profits they would earn during the two-year licence period granted by the government," a leading wine store owner in Hyderabad said.

In fact, the Excise department has to maintain proper records of stocks lifted by the dealers and the quantity sold and the dates on which they were sold.

In the wake the lockdown, all shops were ordered to close down which means no stocks can be sold. How the Excise department is going to handle this issue needs to be seen now.

Sources said the police and Excise officials have already launched raids to nab liquor traders who are indulging in the illegal sales.

The Excise officials have asked the wine shop dealers to furnish the details of liquor stocks on a day to day basis to check the black-marketing of liquor and fleecing the alcoholics.

A few cases were booked against the traders in Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar and Khammam districts.