Chhattisgarh Government Suspends Three Excise Officials Over Illegal Liquor Trade Actions

The Chhattisgarh government has taken firm action against illegal liquor activities, suspending three circle in-charges and issuing notices to six senior excise officials. This follows surprise inspections by the state flying squad, which uncovered illicit liquor operations in Balodabazar, Mahasamund, and Rajnandgaon districts, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

In Balodabazar district, the flying squad confiscated 104 cartons of foreign liquor from Madhya Pradesh during a raid at Banasankara village last month. As a result, Motin Banjare, the circle in-charge of Balodabazar, was suspended. Additionally, District Excise Officer Gajendra Singh and Assistant Excise Officer-cum-Divisional in-charge Jalesh Singh received show-cause notices.

Illegal Liquor Seizures in Mahasamund

On May 3, authorities seized 14 cartons of country-made liquor, 14 boxes of beer from Odisha, and 13 bottles of foreign liquor at Bagbahara in Mahasamund district. Following this operation, Mukesh Kumar Verma, the Bagbahara Circle in-charge, faced suspension. Show-cause notices were also issued to District Excise Officer Nidhish Koshti and Divisional in-charge Uttam Buddha Bhardwaj.

Rajnandgaon District Raid

In Rajnandgaon district, a police raid on a farmhouse along Karwari Latmarra road led to the seizure of 432 cartons of foreign liquor from various brands. The raid also uncovered a significant quantity of empty bottles, caps, labels, and 4,000 holograms. Anil Kumar Singh, the Dongargarh Circle in-charge, was suspended due to these findings.

The then-Assistant Excise Commissioner of Rajnandgaon Yadunanand Rathore and Divisional In-charge Sandeep Sahare were issued show-cause notices following the Rajnandgaon raid. These actions highlight the government's commitment to curbing illegal liquor trade in the region.

The state's proactive measures aim to deter illegal activities related to liquor trade and ensure compliance with regulations. By holding officials accountable and conducting surprise inspections, Chhattisgarh seeks to maintain order and legality within its borders.

With inputs from PTI